tougher; toughest
1
: very difficult to do or deal with
a tough [=hard] assignment/problem
tough choices
She had a tough time in college.
It's been a tough year for our family. = This year has been tough on [=hard on] our family.
—often followed by to + verbIt was tough to quit smoking.
The problem was tough to solve.
2
a
: physically and emotionally strong : able to do hard work, to deal with harsh conditions, etc.
tough soldiers
Are you tough enough for the job?
b
: physically strong and violent
tough criminals
He's been hanging around with a bunch of tough guys.
3
a
: strong and not easily broken or damaged
tough fibers
The rug is made of tough material.
b
: difficult to cut or chew
tough meat
4
: very strict
a tough law/policy
He's a tough boss/teacher, but fair.
The candidates both vow to get tough on crime. [=to deal harshly with criminals]
5
: having a lot of crime or danger
a tough neighborhood
6
: hard to influence or persuade
She's a tough bargainer/negotiator.
7
informal
: unfortunate in a way that seems unfair
It's tough that he lost that job.
—often used in an ironic way to show that you do not feel sympathy for someone"He failed the test." "Well, that's tough. Maybe if he'd studied a little he would have passed."
He failed the test? Tough! [=too bad] He should have studied more than he did.
plural toughs
informal + old-fashioned
: a tough and violent person
a gang of toughs
: in a way that shows that you are strong or tough
play tough
He talks tough but he's not really dangerous.
Cite this Entry
“Tough.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/tough. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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