toughie

Or tough·y

[tuhf-ee]

noun

Informal.

plural

toughies 

1. a tough person, especially one who is belligerent.

   The sheriff was a local toughie with very little patience for outsiders.

2. a difficult problem or situation.

   That math test was a real toughie!

3. a harsh or blunt book, movie, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of toughie¹

First recorded in 1920–25; tough + -ie

Example Sentences

"We were not toughies and they made us toughies – I became a trained infantry man," he said.

Read more on BBC

Quiz five out of five and this one is a toughie.

Read more on BBC

When the waitress, a toughie who intimidated us when she took our order, brought out the soup, she glared at us as she dropped it at the table.

Read more on New York Times

Mind you, the first knockout hurdle on the road to Istanbul looks a toughie.

Read more on The Guardian

The Supreme Court will end up hearing about 70 cases a year — in theory the toughest of the toughies — and 40% of the time the justices will still issue a unanimous ruling.

Read more on Washington Times