variants
or less commonly toughy
plural toughies
Examples of toughie in a Sentence
The last question on the test was a toughie.
He thinks he's a real toughie.
Recent Examples on the Web
And special days call for special grids, such as this set of six toughies that were originally shelved but have remained in our hearts.
—
Vulture Editors, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
Extra time may be spent looking for that toughie that was present just a few days ago.
—Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, 15 Dec. 2017
The surprises come from Rachel McAdams, who holds her own as a wise-cracking toughie, and Peña, who defrosts from macho pride mode with low-key grace.
—Hugh Hart, WIRED, 29 Oct. 2008
Another cold-weather toughie is Alaska's red flat bark beetle, which, under lab conditions, can survive cooling down to minus 238 degrees Fahrenheit.
—Liz Langley, National Geographic, 10 Dec. 2016
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Vulture Editors, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
Extra time may be spent looking for that toughie that was present just a few days ago.
—Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, 15 Dec. 2017
The surprises come from Rachel McAdams, who holds her own as a wise-cracking toughie, and Peña, who defrosts from macho pride mode with low-key grace.
—Hugh Hart, WIRED, 29 Oct. 2008
Another cold-weather toughie is Alaska's red flat bark beetle, which, under lab conditions, can survive cooling down to minus 238 degrees Fahrenheit.
—Liz Langley, National Geographic, 10 Dec. 2016
Cite this Entry
“Toughie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toughie. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
toughie
noun
tough·ie
ˈtəf-ē 
1
2
: a hard problem or question
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