tough

adjective
UK: /tʌf/
US: /tʌf/

  1. Difficult to do or deal with.

    1. This is a tough question for me. [ ] [ ]
    2. It's tough to learn a new language when you are getting older. [ ] [ ]

  2. Strong and durable; able to withstand hardship or damage.

    1. These are tough shoes for hiking. [ ] [ ]
    2. The material is very tough and can withstand extreme conditions. [ ] [ ]

  3. Strict and uncompromising.

    1. My teacher is very tough with the students. [ ] [ ]
    2. The new boss is very tough on employees who arrive late to work. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

difficult strong strict resilient
tough intransitive-verb

  1. To endure or withstand a difficult situation.

    1. You need to tough it out a little. [ ] [ ]
    2. We just have to tough it out until the crisis is over and things calm down. [ ] [ ]
tough noun

  1. A strong or violent person; a thug.

    1. He acts like a tough guy. [ ] [ ]
    2. The police arrested the tough who was causing trouble in the neighborhood. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "tough" in English means: Difficult to do or deal with., Strong and durable; able to withstand hardship or damage., Strict and uncompromising..

The phonetic transcription of "tough" is /tʌf/ in British English and /tʌf/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "tough": difficult, strong, strict, resilient.

Example usage of "tough": "This is a tough question for me.". More examples on the page.