← BackshareGuessgruffly/ˈɡrʌfli/adverbIn a rough, unfriendly, or abrupt manner.“What do you want?” he asked gruffly, without looking up from his book.She gruffly told the children to be quiet, then softened her tone.The guard gruffly waved us through the gate without a word.SynonymsbrusquelycurtlyabruptlyAntonymsgentlypolitely