tough love

noun

1. a mixture of toughness and warmth used in a relationship, especially with an adolescent.

tough love

noun

1. the practice of taking a stern attitude towards a relative or friend suffering from an addiction, etc, to help the addict overcome the problem

Word History and Origins

Origin of tough love¹

First recorded in 1977; after Toughlove, a network of support groups

Example Sentences

Along the way, there was “tough love” from Freeman that, Bowden says, was exactly what he needed to hear.

From Los Angeles Times

She offers Josh the tough love that he needs, forcing him to see that a grandparent isn’t just a grandparent but a human being with a complicated history that needn’t be worn like a Kleenex visible from under a sleeve.

From Los Angeles Times

After a year and a half of tough love around the continent, Spence returned to a Spurs side now under the management of Postecoglou – and seems to have finally found a manager with who he has a close relationship.

From BBC

She served as a judge on “Drag Race Philippines” since its premiere in 2022, tapping into her own experiences to offer competitors tough love and constructive criticism in English and Tagalog.

From Los Angeles Times

Ian, a young man from D.C., told me a story that illustrated the vision of tough love that was the bedrock of these relationships.

From Slate