gruffness

despite his gruffness, he had a kind heart.

her gruffness stemmed from years of dealing with difficult clients.

he tried to mask his gruffness with a sarcastic joke.

the old man’s gruffness softened when he saw the children.

she misinterpreted his gruffness as rudeness.

his gruffness was a defense mechanism against vulnerability.

the bartender’s gruffness was legendary among the regulars.

she ignored his gruffness and focused on the task at hand.

he displayed a surprising amount of gruffness when challenged.

the gruffness in his voice belied a deep sadness.

she found his gruffness endearing, in a strange way.