tough nut
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Getafe, seventh, often prove a tough nut to crack at home and they frustrated their neighbours.
From Barron's • Nov. 23, 2025
She adds the Spurs boss is "a tough nut to crack".
From BBC • Feb. 3, 2025
There are many other types of oaks to love, and telling them apart can be a tough nut to crack.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2023
AUSTIN, TEXAS—For canaries, learning to eat seeds can be a tough nut to crack.
From Science Magazine • Jan. 12, 2023
“It means you’re a tough nut to crack, Clare, and frankly, I am not a squirrel!”
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
