Tough

Physically strong and durable; difficult to break or damage, Resilient, able to endure hardship or difficult situations, Aggressive or intimidating in behavior or appearance, Difficult or demanding

Tough - Meanings

Physically strong and durable; difficult to break or damage

Example: The steel used in building construction is tough and can withstand extreme weather conditions.

Usage: formalContext: engineering, construction

Note: Commonly used in technical or professional settings.

Resilient, able to endure hardship or difficult situations

Example: Despite facing many challenges, she remained tough and persevered through tough times.

Usage: informalContext: everyday conversations

Note: Commonly used in personal or motivational contexts.

Aggressive or intimidating in behavior or appearance

Example: The tough bouncer at the club made sure only authorized people entered the VIP area.

Usage: informalContext: social settings

Note: Often used to describe people with a rough or intimidating demeanor.

Difficult or demanding

Example: The final exam was tough, but with enough preparation, students were able to pass.

Usage: informalContext: academic settings

Note: Commonly used to describe challenging tasks or situations.

Tough's synonyms

challenging

Difficult in a way that tests one's abilities or skills.

Example: The exam was quite challenging, but I managed to pass it.

Note: Challenging implies that something is difficult but also presents an opportunity for growth or improvement.

resilient

Able to withstand or recover from difficult conditions.

Example: She is a resilient person who never gives up in the face of adversity.

Note: Resilient focuses on the ability to bounce back or recover from challenges.

sturdy

Strong and robust in construction or character.

Example: The sturdy table held up even under the weight of heavy books.

Note: Sturdy emphasizes strength and durability.

rough

Having an uneven or irregular surface; harsh or difficult.

Example: The rough terrain made it difficult to navigate through the forest.

Note: Rough suggests a lack of smoothness or gentleness, making a situation more challenging.

Tough expressions, common phrases

tough cookie

A tough cookie refers to a person who is strong, resilient, or determined.

Example: She's a tough cookie, so I'm sure she'll handle the situation well.

Note: The phrase 'tough cookie' adds a sense of resilience or strength beyond just being tough.

tough luck

Tough luck is used to express sympathy for someone's misfortune or to indicate that someone has had bad luck.

Example: I missed the bus again. Tough luck!

Note: The phrase 'tough luck' emphasizes bad luck or unfortunate circumstances.

tough it out

To tough it out means to endure a difficult or unpleasant situation without giving up.

Example: I know you're feeling tired, but you need to tough it out and finish the race.

Note: The phrase 'tough it out' emphasizes enduring despite challenges.

tough break

A tough break refers to a situation where someone experiences bad luck or a disadvantageous circumstance.

Example: Losing your job right before the holidays is a tough break.

Note: The phrase 'tough break' focuses on unfortunate events or circumstances.

tough love

Tough love involves being strict or unsympathetic in order to help someone improve or overcome difficulties.

Example: Sometimes, tough love is necessary to help someone learn from their mistakes.

Note: The phrase 'tough love' implies a combination of firmness and care in guiding someone.

tough nut to crack

A tough nut to crack refers to a problem or situation that is challenging to solve or overcome.

Example: Figuring out the solution to that math problem is a tough nut to crack.

Note: The phrase 'tough nut to crack' emphasizes the difficulty or complexity of a problem.

get tough

To get tough means to become strict or forceful in dealing with a situation or person.

Example: It's time to get tough and enforce stricter rules in the company.

Note: The phrase 'get tough' implies a shift towards a more assertive or uncompromising stance.

Tough everyday (slang) expressions

Grueling

Refers to something that is extremely challenging, exhausting, or demanding.

Example: The exam was grueling, but I managed to pass.

Note: Unlike 'tough', which can imply endurance, 'grueling' emphasizes the extreme difficulty or hardship of the situation.

Brutal

Describes a situation that is harsh, intense, or extremely challenging.

Example: The competition was brutal, but I gave it my all.

Note: While 'tough' can suggest resilience, 'brutal' emphasizes the brutality or severity of the situation.

Stressful

Refers to a situation that causes a lot of mental or emotional pressure.

Example: Dealing with deadlines can be really stressful.

Note: 'Stressful' specifically focuses on the mental or emotional strain, unlike 'tough' which can refer to a broader range of challenges.

Intense

Describes something that is extreme, severe, or demanding.

Example: The workout was really intense today.

Note: While 'tough' can imply strength, 'intense' emphasizes the high level of difficulty, severity, or focus required in the situation.

Tough - Examples

Tough times require tough measures.

She's a tough competitor.

It's tough to admit when you're wrong.

Tough grammar

Tough - Adjective (Adjective) / Adjective (Adjective)

Lemma: tough

Conjugations

Adjective, comparative (Adjective, comparative): tougher

Adjective, superlative (Adjective, superlative): toughest

Adjective (Adjective): tough

Noun, plural (Noun, plural): toughs

Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): tough

Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): toughed

Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): toughing

Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): toughs

Verb, base form (Verb, base form): tough

Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): tough

Syllabification and Stress

tough Contains 1 syllables: tough

Phonetic transcription: ˈtəf

tough , ˈtəf (The red syllable is stressed)

Tough - Importance and usage frequency

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

tough: ~ 2200 (Very common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

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