tough

American  

[tuhf] / tʌf /

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.

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adverb

1. in a tough manner.

noun

1. a ruffian; rowdy.

idioms

1. hang tough,  hang.

2. tough it out,  to endure or resist hardship or adversity.

tough British  

/ 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

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noun

1. a rough, vicious, or pugnacious person

adverb

1. informal  violently, aggressively, or intractably

   to treat someone tough

2. informal  to be or appear to be strong or determined

verb

1. slang  (tr) to stand firm, hold out against (a difficulty or difficult situation) (esp in tough it out )

tough More Idioms  

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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Other Word Forms

• supertough adjective
• toughish adjective
• toughly adverb
• toughness noun
• untough adjective
• untoughly adverb
• untoughness noun

Etymology

Origin of tough

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

Example Sentences

Villa are playing well right now but this is a tough trip for them and with their heavy schedule it might be a game too far.

From BBC

"It's tough, the level is very, very high. It's an experience that's for sure," he said.

From BBC

For Arsenal, now five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, it was a tough end to a week that had seen the Gunners post important wins over both Tottenham and Bayern Munich.

From Barron's

Joban Singh, 27, based in Bakersfield, spent $80,000 to buy a truck because even though truck driving is a tough life, it provides a steady income to support his family.

From Los Angeles Times

"On pure pace, it will be tough in Abu Dhabi," he said.

From Barron's

Related Words

• desperate
• fierce
• hard
• hard-nosed
• harsh
• narrow
• resolute
• severe
• stern
• stiff
• strict
• terrible