tough love
noun
: love or affectionate concern expressed in a stern or unsentimental manner (as through discipline) especially to promote responsible behavior
Examples of tough love in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This guy has only been in Carl’s family for a few years but is single-handedly saving his life with tough love.
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Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2024
This is ultimately an act of self-love that feels like tough love in the moment.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024
Under Oslo, the Palestinians have had to rely on the United States to treat Israel with a kind of tough love that American leaders, nervous about their domestic support, have never been able to muster.
—Yousef Munayyer, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2019
Leo July 23 – August 22 A mentor could have some tough love for you at the moment.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tough love 
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2024
This is ultimately an act of self-love that feels like tough love in the moment.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024
Under Oslo, the Palestinians have had to rely on the United States to treat Israel with a kind of tough love that American leaders, nervous about their domestic support, have never been able to muster.
—Yousef Munayyer, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2019
Leo July 23 – August 22 A mentor could have some tough love for you at the moment.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tough love
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tough love.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Tough love.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tough%20love. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
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