tough

[tuhf]

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.

adverb

1. in a tough manner.

noun

1. a ruffian; rowdy.

tough

/ 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

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 )

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tough¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tough¹

Old English tōh; related to Old High German zāhi tough, Old Norse tā trodden ground in front of a house

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. hang tough, hang.

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

More idioms and phrases containing tough

• get tough
• gut (tough) it out
• hang tough
• hard (tough) act to follow
• hard (tough) nut to crack

Example Sentences

"I know these are tough times. I know not everyone voted for me - but I'm working for everyone," she said.

Read more on BBC

They and others turned against the war when the going got tough, and the Bush Administration mismanaged the occupation in many ways.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A new governor could make things tougher for data centers and the utilities that serve them.

Read more on Barron's

Making that choice may be tougher this season than it has been in a long time.

Read more on Salon

My dad and I have a great relationship now, but we were tough on each other when I was young.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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