What does gruffness mean?
The quality of being rough and unpolished in manner or tone; a harsh or grumpy attitude. Gruffness is often used to describe someone who speaks in a blunt or abrupt way.
Example
"The gruffness of the old man's voice made it clear he wasn't in the mood for small talk."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.