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

The challenge that awaits against the best defence in the Premier League is already tough enough.

From BBC

"She was the lawyer for several imprisoned patriotic military officers. But she was also Commander Chávez's lawyer and, well, being Commander Chávez's lawyer in prison... tough."

From BBC

The tough part: Kirby skips melatonin and other sleep aids—and still often clocks seven hours of sleep on long-haul flights.

From The Wall Street Journal

"I think it'd be very tough for her to be the leader, she doesn't have the support... She doesn't have the respect."

From BBC

"The first set, it was tough to get rhythm,"said Zverev.

From Barron's

Related Words

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