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View synonyms for tough

tough

[ tuhf ]

adjective

tougher, toughest.
  1. strong and durable; not easily broken or cut.

    Synonyms: hard, firm

    Antonyms: fragile

  2. not brittle or tender.
  3. difficult to masticate, as food:

    a tough steak.

  4. of viscous consistency, as liquid or semiliquid matter:

    tough molasses.

  5. capable of great endurance; sturdy; hardy:

    tough troops.

    Synonyms: durable

    Antonyms: weak, feeble

  6. not easily influenced, as a person; unyielding; stubborn:

    a tough man to work for.

    Synonyms: inflexible

  7. hardened; incorrigible:

    a tough criminal.

  8. difficult to perform, accomplish, or deal with; hard, trying, or troublesome:

    a tough problem.

  9. hard to bear or endure (often used ironically):

    tough luck.

  10. vigorous; severe; violent:

    a tough struggle.

  11. vicious; rough; rowdyish:

    a tough character;

    a tough neighborhood.

  12. practical, realistic, and lacking in sentimentality; tough-minded.
  13. Slang. remarkably excellent; first-rate; great.


adverb

  1. in a tough manner.

noun

  1. a ruffian; rowdy.

tough

/ tʌf /

adjective

  1. strong or resilient; durable

    a tough material

  2. not tender

    he could not eat the tough steak

  3. having a great capacity for endurance; hardy and fit

    a tough mountaineer

  4. rough or pugnacious

    a tough gangster

  5. resolute or intractable

    a tough employer

  6. difficult or troublesome to do or deal with

    a tough problem

  7. informal.
    unfortunate or unlucky

    it's tough on him

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a rough, vicious, or pugnacious person
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. informal.
    violently, aggressively, or intractably

    to treat someone tough

  2. hang tough informal.
    to be or appear to be strong or determined
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. slang.
    tr to stand firm, hold out against (a difficulty or difficult situation) (esp in tough it out )
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈtoughish, adjective
  • ˈtoughly, adverb
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Other Words From

  • toughly adverb
  • toughness noun
  • super·tough adjective
  • un·tough adjective
  • un·toughly adverb
  • un·toughness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tough1

First recorded before 900; Middle English (adjective); Old English tōh; compare Dutch taai, German zäh(e)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tough1

Old English tōh; related to Old High German zāhi tough, Old Norse trodden ground in front of a house
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. hang tough, Slang. hang ( def 62 ).
  2. tough it out, Informal. to endure or resist hardship or adversity.

More idioms and phrases containing tough

  • get tough
  • gut (tough) it out
  • hang tough
  • hard (tough) act to follow
  • hard (tough) nut to crack
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Example Sentences

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agreed with the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine, but that "questions" remained about the nature of a truce as he set out a number of tough conditions.

From BBC

To the women, he offers support; to the men tough love.

From Salon

Riordan, trying to win its first state title since 2002, must overcome the Mustangs’ stellar record of winning the toughest regional division in the state.

Despite all the tough guy talk, men who are invested in stereotypical masculinity tend to be especially insecure and even prone to mental health issues.

From Salon

John Lewis has been trying to win back customers with a recovery plan after a tough few years that saw it cut jobs and close several stores.

From BBC

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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