tough
tough — adjective
1. describes an object or material that is built to resist damage, pressure, or wea
describes an object or material that is built to resist damage, pressure, or wear without breaking or tearing easily.
Asher's backpack fabric is so tough it survived three years of daily use.
collocation: tough fabric / tough material
Hyun bought a pair of tough work gloves for gardening and moving bricks.
collocation: tough gloves / tough boots / tough gear
A tough plastic cover protects the screen from scratches when you drop the phone.
The old wooden table in the kitchen was tough enough to hold a hundred plates.
- tough fabric
- tough plastic
- tough material
- tough leather
- tough enough
Usage Note
Commonly modifies manufactured items (fabric, leather, plastic, metal, glass). The opposite is fragile or delicate.
Common Mistakes
2. describes a person who remains strong and does not give up when faced with pain,
describes a person who remains strong and does not give up when faced with pain, problems, or emotionally difficult situations.
After losing her job, Élise stayed tough and started applying for new positions right away.
pattern: stay + tough
Karim has been through a lot this year, but his tough spirit keeps him going.
collocation: tough spirit
Children can be surprisingly tough when they face change in their family life.
The clinic nurses are tough — they handle emergencies daily without complaint.
Walid was raised to be tough, so he rarely complains even when things get hard.
pattern: be + raised + tough
- tough spirit
- tough enough
- stay tough
- raised tough
- tough cookie
- resilient
more formal; emphasises the ability to recover quickly
- hardy
suggests physical toughness that endures harsh conditions
- strong-willed
focuses on determination rather than emotional endurance
Usage Note
Often used in the pattern 'tough enough to [verb]' (e.g., 'tough enough to handle the news'). Distinguish from sense 6 (VIOLENT): a resilient person is emotionally strong, not aggressive toward others.
Common Mistakes
3. describes a person or rule that demands others follow limits or standards exactl
describes a person or rule that demands others follow limits or standards exactly, and does not make exceptions or show sympathy when the rules are broken.
Coach Mateo is tough on players who arrive late — they run extra laps.
collocation: tough on [someone]
The school has a tough policy against using phones during class.
collocation: tough policy / tough rules / tough laws
Abigail's parents were tough about homework: no TV until all assignments were finished.
The judge gave a tough sentence to send a message to other criminals.
collocation: tough sentence / tough punishment
- tough on
- tough policy
- tough rules
- tough laws
- tough sentence
- tough teacher
- lenient
not strict; allowing exceptions and flexibility
- permissive
allowing great freedom, especially in discipline
Usage Note
Common in the pattern 'tough on [someone/something]'. Unlike sense 4 (DIFFICULT), this sense always involves a person or authority setting hard standards. A tough exam (sense 4) is hard to pass; a tough teacher (sense 3) grades strictly.
Common Mistakes
4. describes a task, problem, or situation that demands a lot of effort, skill, or
describes a task, problem, or situation that demands a lot of effort, skill, or patience to complete, understand, or deal with.
The final exam was so tough that half the students ran out of time.
collocation: tough exam / tough test / tough question
Finding an affordable apartment in this city is a tough challenge for young families.
collocation: tough challenge
Nadia faced a tough decision between staying with her family or moving abroad for work.
collocation: tough decision / tough choice
The mountain trail is tough for beginners because of the steep climb near the top.
Repairing the old motorcycle engine proved tougher than Shanti had expected.
comparative: tougher than
- tough exam
- tough challenge
- tough decision
- tough choice
- tough time
- tough job
- tough question
- tougher than
- hard
the closest synonym; slightly less informal
- challenging
more positive; suggests the difficulty is rewarding
- demanding
focuses on the effort required rather than complexity
Usage Note
Common in the pattern 'it is tough to [verb]' (e.g., 'It's tough to find parking downtown'). Can also be used with 'have a tough time [v-ing]' to describe difficulty during an experience.
Common Mistakes
5. describes food that is firm and difficult to cut with a knife, bite through, or
describes food that is firm and difficult to cut with a knife, bite through, or chew, often because it has been cooked too long or is naturally fibrous.
The steak was so tough that Dewi had to ask for a sharper knife.
collocation: tough steak / tough meat
Renata left the chicken in the oven too long, and it turned dry and tough.
These apples are tough on the outside but sweet and soft inside.
Grandpa's bread got so tough we soaked it in soup before eating.
- tough steak
- tough meat
- tough chicken
- tough bread
- tough on the outside
Usage Note
The opposite is tender (for meat) or soft (for bread, fruit). Overcooking is the most common cause of tough meat. This sense only applies to food — do not confuse with sense 1 (STRONG MATERIAL), which applies to non-edible objects.
Common Mistakes
6. describes a person, place, or situation that involves aggression, crime, or a ro
describes a person, place, or situation that involves aggression, crime, or a rough, unkind atmosphere where violence is likely.
The neighbourhood turned tough after the factory closed and many people lost their jobs.
collocation: tough neighbourhood / tough area
A group of tough-looking teenagers stood outside the station, watching every passer-by.
collocation: tough-looking
The movie is about a tough cop who takes the law into his own hands.
Life in the prison was rough and tough, with fights breaking out almost every week.
idiom: rough and tough
- tough neighbourhood
- tough guy
- tough-looking
- rough and tough
- tough reputation
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2 (RESILIENT PERSON): a 'tough person' in this sense is aggressive and dangerous, not emotionally strong. Modifies settings (neighbourhood, school, prison) or appearances (tough-looking, tough guy).
Common Mistakes
7. describes a situation that is bad, unfair, or hard to accept, often with a sugge
describes a situation that is bad, unfair, or hard to accept, often with a suggestion that the person affected did not deserve it.
It's tough that Rachid's flight was cancelled and he missed the whole conference.
pattern: it's tough that [clause]
Anjali had a tough break — her car broke down on the way to the interview.
collocation: tough break
Losing your wallet right before payday is a tough situation to be in.
Zuri's team had a tough loss in the final match, losing by only one point.
collocation: tough loss
- tough break
- tough luck
- tough loss
- tough situation
- tough that
- unfortunate
more formal and neutral; no sympathy implied
- hard
less specific; can describe emotional difficulty too
- bad
very general; less emotive
Usage Note
Common in 'tough luck' (sympathetic or unsympathetic, depending on tone) and 'tough break'. See also sense 8 (NO SYMPATHY), which uses similar phrasing but with a dismissive intention.
Common Mistakes
8. a brief, cold thing to say when you believe someone caused their own trouble and
a brief, cold thing to say when you believe someone caused their own trouble and see no reason to care.
When Benjamin complained about the long walk, his sister just shrugged and said, "Tough!"
collocation: 'Tough!' as a single-word response
Aylin's friends said "tough luck" when she realised she forgot her raincoat in the storm.
collocation: tough luck (dismissive use)
The manager told the team "That's tough" when they asked for a deadline extension.
pattern: that's tough (dismissive)
Mateo never studied so he failed — nobody felt sorry, just "tough luck."
- Tough!
- tough luck
- that's tough
- too tough
Usage Note
Always used in short spoken remarks: 'Tough!', 'Tough luck', 'That's tough.' Distinguish from sense 7 (UNFORTUNATE): sense 7 is sympathetic; this sense is deliberately unsympathetic. The difference depends entirely on tone and context.
Common Mistakes
hang tough
idiomTo stay determined and not change your opinion or plan.
The coach told the team to hang tough until the end.
Even under pressure, Maya hung tough and refused to quit.
a hard/tough nut
idiomA person who is very difficult to deal with or persuade.
Our new manager is a tough nut; he rarely listens.
Sara is a hard nut, but once you earn her trust, she's loyal.
A problem or situation that is very difficult to solve or handle.
The math exam was a tough nut to crack for most students.
Negotiating the contract proved to be a hard nut.
Someone or something so impressive that it will be hard for the next person or thing to be as good.
After Diego's brilliant speech, the next speaker had a tough act to follow.
The previous CEO's success is a hard act to follow.
To speak in a very strong or forceful way about what you want.
The mayor talked tough on crime during the press conference.
Parents often talk tough about rules, but they are kind.
Very strong and able to handle difficult situations without being hurt.
My grandmother is 95 but as tough as old boots.
After years of training, Aiden is as tough as nails.
tough luck
idiomUsed to express sympathy when something bad happens to someone.
You missed the bus? That's tough luck, but there's another soon.
When Min lost his wallet, his friend said, 'Tough luck.'
When a situation becomes difficult, strong people work even harder to succeed.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
In the final exam, when the going got tough, Brian studied harder.
tough — noun
1. a person who is rough, aggressive, and likely to use violence, especially in a c
a person who is rough, aggressive, and likely to use violence, especially in a criminal context.
A group of young toughs gathered on the corner, shouting at people passing by.
plural: toughs
The bar owner hired a couple of toughs to keep troublemakers out of the place.
Naoko's father warned her about the toughs near the train station.
In old western movies, the town tough always started the fight first.
- local toughs
- street toughs
- young toughs
- gentle soul
a kind, non-violent person
Usage Note
Outdated or literary in many contexts; 'thug' is more common in modern English. Typically used in plural (toughs) or with a definite article (the toughs). Slightly old-fashioned.
Common Mistakes
tough — adverb
1. in a manner that shows determination, strength, or a lack of sympathy, especiall
in a manner that shows determination, strength, or a lack of sympathy, especially in response to a challenge or complaint.
The players acted tough when the coach told them to run another mile.
pattern: act tough
Esteban talks tough with friends but at home he is kind and gentle.
collocation: talk tough
The government is playing tough on trade with neighbouring countries this year.
collocation: play tough
Devika tried to act tough after the accident but everyone saw she was in pain.
- act tough
- talk tough
- play tough
Usage Note
Only appears after a small set of verbs: talk tough, act tough, play tough. The adverb form is not as flexible as the adjective form — cannot be used freely to modify other verbs.
Common Mistakes
tough — verb
1. to stay strong and keep going through a painful, difficult, or unpleasant experi
to stay strong and keep going through a painful, difficult, or unpleasant experience instead of giving up or leaving.
The power was out for days, but neighbours toughed it out without complaining.
phrasal pattern: tough it out
Andrew decided to tough out the whole semester even though he hated his classes.
pattern: tough out [something]
Wren knew the hike would be hard, but she toughed it out to the top.
The team toughed out the final minutes with only six players on the field.
- tough it out
- tough out [situation]
Grammar Patterns
tough + it + out
Usage Note
Almost always used as a phrasal verb: 'tough it out' (with object pronoun 'it') or 'tough out [something]'. Rarely used without 'out'. The object must be an unpleasant situation, not a person.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- toughnessnounB2
- toughenverbB2
- toughlyadverbC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/2
Tough, resilient, hardy, and strong-willed all describe someone who does not give up easily, but they differ in focus. Tough emphasises the ability to endure hardship without complaint — a tough person keeps going when others would stop. Resilient focuses on the speed of recovery after a setback: a resilient person bounces back quickly. Hardy suggests physical toughness that can survive harsh conditions, like a hardy plant surviving frost. Strong-willed centres on determination and refusal to change one's mind, even under pressure. For example: 'After losing his savings, Karim stayed tough and rebuilt his life' (endured without breaking). 'The team showed resilience by winning five matches in a row after a terrible start' (recovered quickly). 'Only hardy travellers attempt the mountain route in winter' (physically enduring). 'Her strong-willed son refused to wear a coat despite the cold' (determined to follow his own choice).
Common collocations
Nouns
- tough guy
- tough cookie
- tough act to follow
- tough love
Adverbs
- extremely tough
- pretty tough
- really tough
- incredibly tough
Phrases
- when the going gets tough
- tough as nails
- rough and tough
- tough nut to crack
Prepositions
- tough on [someone/something]
- tough for [someone]
Etymology
The word 'tough' comes from Old English 'toh', meaning 'strong, firm, tenacious'. It is related to Old High German 'zahi' (tough, tenacious) and Dutch 'taai'. The original sense was about physical strength and density — a tough piece of leather or rope. Over time the meaning expanded to describe people with strong character (14th century), then difficult situations (16th century), and eventually the dismissive 'tough luck' response (20th century). The verb form 'tough it out' appeared in American English in the early 1900s.