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tough
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- pronunciation:
- tuhf
- parts of speech:
- adjective, noun
- phrases:
- tough it out
- features:
- Word Combinations (adjective, noun), Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| inflections: |
tougher, toughest |
| definition 1: |
hard to break; durable.
These boots have tough soles.- synonyms:
- durable, robust, solid, sturdy
- antonyms:
- delicate, fragile
- similar words:
- hardy, heavy-duty, infrangible, lasting, sound, staunch, stout, strong, unbreakable, well-made
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| definition 2: |
difficult to cut up or chew.
The child could hardly chew the tough meat.- synonyms:
- chewy
- antonyms:
- tender
- similar words:
- leathery, overdone
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| definition 3: |
capable of enduring adversity or hardship.
The tough soldiers continued to fight under horrible conditions.- synonyms:
- hardy, resilient, rugged
- antonyms:
- delicate, soft, weak
- similar words:
- courageous, doughty, gritty, intrepid, mettlesome, resolute, robust, stout-hearted, strong, vigorous
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| definition 4: |
not easily influenced.
The head of the school board is tough on budget issues.- synonyms:
- inflexible, unyielding
- antonyms:
- soft
- similar words:
- adamant, hard-line, hard-nosed, hardheaded, intractable, obdurate, rigid, stony, stubborn, unbending
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| definition 5: |
aggressive; rough; incorrigible.
He came out of jail an even tougher criminal.- synonyms:
- aggressive, incorrigible, rough
- similar words:
- brutal, hardened, mean, vicious, violent
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| definition 6: |
difficult to perform or understand.
The reporter was given a tough assignment in the war zone.Physics was a tough class for me.Some questions are tough to answer.- synonyms:
- demanding, difficult, hard
- antonyms:
- easy, snap
- similar words:
- arduous, complex, formidable, knotty, laborious, robust, rugged, severe, thorny, troublesome
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| definition 7: |
harsh; severe.
The desert is a tough climate to live in.Conditions were tough in the camp.- synonyms:
- hard, harsh, rigorous
- antonyms:
- easy, soft
- similar words:
- bad, brutal, difficult, dire, severe, unpleasant, wicked, wretched
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| definition 8: |
(informal) bad; unfortunate.
It's very tough about your dad's accident.- synonyms:
- regrettable, unfortunate
- similar words:
- bad
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| definition 9: |
(old-fashioned slang) excellent; fine.
That's a tough car!- synonyms:
- cool, wicked
- similar words:
- cool, excellent, fine, first-rate, super, wonderful
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| related words: |
callous, hard, herculean, painful, rigorous, rough, serviceable, solid, stiff, sturdy, tall, tight, trying, uncompromising, wild |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition: |
a ruffian; thug.
Don't get too near those toughs on the corner.- synonyms:
- ruffian, thug
- similar words:
- bully, gorilla, hoodlum, hooligan, roughneck, rowdy
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| phrase: |
tough it out |
| derivations: |
toughly (adv.), toughness (n.) |
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