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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 |
adverb + (adj.)tough
awfully, mentally, notoriously, plenty, pretty, very
(adj.)tough
+ adverb
enough
(adj.)tough
+ noun
adversary,
asparagus,
assignment,
balancing,
bargaining,
challenge,
choice,
climb,
competition,
competitor,
cookie,
crime,
criminal,
decision,
diplomacy,
enforcement,
exterior,
fight,
foe,
guy,
hide,
hurdle,
luck,
matchup,
nail,
negotiating,
negotiator,
nut,
nylon,
opponent,
penalty,
question,
questioning,
re-election,
regulation,
restriction,
schedule,
scrutiny,
sell,
sentencing,
sledding,
stalk,
stance,
standard,
stem,
terrain,
trade-off
[See all][See only the most frequent]
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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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adjective + (n.)tough
hanging, little, local, real, young
verb + (n.)tough
hire, scream
noun + (n.)tough
ball, bunch, gang, look, neighborhood, plenty, street, talk, tournament, village
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| phrase: |
tough it out |
| derivations: |
toughly (adv.), toughness (n.) |
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