tough 1 of 2

1
as in brittle
not easily chewed her steak was so tough that she suggested the waiter use it as a hockey puck

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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tough

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word tough different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of tough are stalwart, stout, strong, sturdy, and tenacious. While all these words mean "showing power to resist or to endure," tough implies great firmness and resiliency.

a tough political opponent

When can stalwart be used instead of tough?

The words stalwart and tough can be used in similar contexts, but stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.

stalwart environmentalists

Where would stout be a reasonable alternative to tough?

The words stout and tough are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.

stout hiking boots

When could strong be used to replace tough?

The meanings of strong and tough largely overlap; however, strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.

strong arms
the defense has a strong case

When would sturdy be a good substitute for tough?

Although the words sturdy and tough have much in common, sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.

a sturdy table
people of sturdy independence

When is tenacious a more appropriate choice than tough?

While in some cases nearly identical to tough, tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.

tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tough
Adjective
The Container Store’s struggles show that the bump many retailers got coming out of the pandemic has ended, with retailers now facing a much tougher environment. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024 Hat-tip to this episode’s director, Aric Avelino, and the credited writer, Cassie Pappas, who preserve many of Solo’s mysteries while also hinting at what a tough life he’s led so far, alone in his vault. Noel Murray, Vulture, 29 Nov. 2024
Noun
By the numbers Gary Klein’s prediction The NFC West rival Rams and the Seahawks always play each other tough. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2023 Shots of Phoenix running from street toughs in his clown outfit are intercut with his social worker breaking up with him. Dan Brooks, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2019 See all Example Sentences for tough 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tough
Adjective
  • Some small clinical trials have shown biotin supplements may help strengthen brittle nails by improving their firmness, thickness and hardness.
    Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Tips for Making Peanut Brittle Here are a few of our Test Kitchen's best tips for making this peanut brittle recipe.
    Shelli McConnell, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • The finish of this stylish little drive is incredibly sturdy and the overall package is small enough to slip into a pocket.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
  • Chords have cultural identities attached to them: major triads are bright, minor triads are gloomy, perfect fifths are sturdy, tritones and semitones are unsettling.
    Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The combination of this injury, the failure to find the anticipated wealth and the overall harsh conditions faced by the expedition contributed to Coronado's eventual decision to return to Mexico City in 1542.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
  • Nestlé lowered its sales outlook in July and then again in October as consumer demand remained weak due to harsh macroeconomic conditions.
    Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Antiaircraft fire kept the bombers so high, however, that aim was difficult to manage, and the bombs fell indiscriminately, destroying more than 4,300 homes while damaging three-quarters of the city's factories.
    Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
  • The decomposition products of chloramines are difficult to isolate and identify, and this substance has proven particularly elusive.
    Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The district warned residents that the calls are fraudulent and that Austin schools wouldn't ask for sensitive personal information over the phone.
    Keri Heath, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
  • Microsoft also provides a way to exclude apps and websites from Recall, and the feature should also automatically detect sensitive information like credit card details, passwords, and personal ID numbers and not save those snapshots.
    Tom Warren, The Verge, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • That meant laying down a strict timetable for cutting CO2 emissions.
    Neil Winton, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
  • The measure imposes stricter penalties for some drug and theft crimes.
    Emma Tucker, CNN, 1 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Long maintaining that the protesters are just thugs, Najmeh painfully removes the rounds from Sadaf’s bleeding wounds, her assumptions about the government she’s loyally obeyed falling away.
    Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
  • The society of Iverson’s youth rendered him an unredeemable thug and jailed him for it as a minor.
    Marcus Thompson II, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The earliest figures, naked and missing limbs, some suffering gouges or pocked with what look like the holes of beetle larvae, bring to mind eerie tales of automata or the leathery agonies of bog bodies.
    Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2023
  • Making her first appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, the up-and-comer chose a leathery dress made of dark maroon panels that left a cutout pattern along the side.
    Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 25 Jan. 2023

Thesaurus Entries Near tough

Cite this Entry

“Tough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tough. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

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