TOUGH: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for TOUGH?

Need another word that means the same as “tough”? Find 113 synonyms and 30 related words for “tough” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Tough” are: baffling, elusive, knotty, problematic, problematical, rugged, hard, ruffianly, toughened, sturdy, bad, durable, strong, resilient, resistant, firm, solid, substantial, sound, stout, indestructible, unbreakable, rigid, stiff, inflexible, chewy, leathery, gristly, stringy, fibrous, sinewy, cartilaginous, hardy, gritty, determined, resolute, dogged, stalwart, arduous, onerous, difficult, demanding, heavy, taxing, burdensome, tiring, exhausting, punishing, wearying, laborious, strenuous, exacting, troublesome, formidable, stressful, herculean, thorny, tricky, ticklish, prickly, perplexing, puzzling, mystifying, bothersome, irksome, intractable, strict, stern, severe, harsh, hard-hitting, adamant, unyielding, unbending, uncompromising, unsentimental, unsympathetic, rough, rowdy, unruly, disorderly, violent, wild, lawless, criminal, street fighter, goon, hood, hoodlum, punk, strong-armer, thug, toughie, bully, hooligan, roughneck, ruffian, yob, yobbo, yobo, brute, bully boy, gangster, desperado, put up with it, grin and bear it, keep at it, keep going, stay with it, see it through, see it through to the end

Tough as a Noun

Definitions of "Tough" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “tough” as a noun can have the following definitions:

• A rough and violent man.
• A cruel and brutal fellow.
• Someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing.
• An aggressive and violent young criminal.

Synonyms of "Tough" as a noun (21 Words)

brute	Something awkward, difficult, or unpleasant. What an unfeeling little brute you are.
bully	A person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those whom they perceive as vulnerable. He is a ranting domineering bully.
bully boy	A hired thug.
desperado	A desperate or reckless person, especially a criminal.
gangster	A criminal who is a member of gang. Gangster movies.
goon	An awkward stupid person. I don t want to deal with Jack today he s such a goon.
hood	A structure or marking resembling a hood on the head or neck of an animal. A jacket with a detachable hood.
hoodlum	An aggressive and violent young criminal. They were the professional gangsters of New York hoodlums and racketeers.
hooligan	A violent young troublemaker, typically one of a gang. Hooligan behaviour.
punk	An admirer or player of punk rock typically characterized by coloured spiked hair and clothing decorated with safety pins or zips. There s never been a better time to take our streets back from the punks.
rough	A disreputable and violent person. I did a rough to work out the scale of the lettering.
roughneck	A rough and uncouth person. The usual roughnecks and gangsters.
rowdy	A cruel and brutal fellow. We are accused of being rowdies in the pub.
ruffian	A violent criminal or troublemaker.
street fighter	People living or working on the same street.
strong-armer	An aggressive and violent young criminal.
toughie	An aggressive and violent young criminal. Who do you admire most That s a toughie.
yob	A rude, noisy, and aggressive young person.
yobo	A cruel and brutal fellow.

Usage Examples of "Tough" as a noun

• A gang of toughs.

Tough as a Verb

Definitions of "Tough" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “tough” as a verb can have the following definitions:

• Endure a period of hardship or difficulty.

Synonyms of "Tough" as a verb (7 Words)

grin and bear it	To draw back the lips and reveal the teeth, in a smile, grimace, or snarl.
keep at it	Fail to spoil or rot.
keep going	Maintain by writing regular records.
put up with it	Estimate.
see it through	Imagine; conceive of; see in one’s mind.
see it through to the end	Observe as if with an eye.
stay with it	Dwell.

Tough as an Adjective

Definitions of "Tough" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “tough” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Not given to gentleness or sentimentality.
• Feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough' is occasionally used colloquially for `bad.
• (of food, especially meat) difficult to cut or chew.
• Violent and lawless.
• Able to endure hardship or pain.
• Used to express a lack of sympathy with someone.
• Physically toughened.
• Resistant to cutting or chewing.
• Very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution.
• Strong and prone to violence.
• Demonstrating a strict and uncompromising approach.
• Unfortunate or hard to bear.
• (of an area) notorious for violence and crime.
• Used to express sympathy with someone in a difficult situation.
• Making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe.
• Difficult and requiring determination or effort.
• (of a substance or object) strong enough to withstand adverse conditions or rough handling.
• Substantially made or constructed.
• Having the confidence and determination to cope in difficult situations.

Synonyms of "Tough" as an adjective (85 Words)

adamant	Refusing to be persuaded or to change one’s mind. He is adamant that he is not going to resign.
arduous	Characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort. An arduous journey.
bad	Feeling physical discomfort or pain tough is occasionally used colloquially for bad. A bad listener.
baffling	Making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe. The crime is a baffling mystery for the police.
bothersome	Annoying; troublesome. Most childhood stomach aches though bothersome aren t serious.
burdensome	Undesirably restrictive. The burdensome task of preparing the income tax return.
cartilaginous	(of a vertebrate animal) having a skeleton of cartilage.
chewy	Requiring much chewing. The rye bread has a nice chewy texture.
criminal	(of an action or situation) deplorable and shocking. A criminal offence.
demanding	Requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill. He was a demanding baby and rarely slept through the night.
determined	Having been learned or found or determined especially by investigation. A determined effort to reduce inflation.
difficult	Characterized by or causing hardships or problems. The questions are too difficult for the children.
disorderly	Undisciplined and unruly. A disorderly pile of books.
dogged	Having or showing tenacity and grim persistence. Dogged persistence.
durable	Able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage; hard-wearing. Porcelain enamel is strong and durable.
elusive	Making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe. A haunting elusive odor.
exacting	Severe and unremitting in making demands. An exacting job.
exhausting	Producing exhaustion. An exhausting job in the hot sun.
fibrous	Full of sinews; especially impossible to chew. A good fibrous root system.
firm	Marked by firm determination or resolution not shakable. We became firm friends.
formidable	Inspiring fear. The formidable prospect of major surgery.
gristly	Difficult to chew. Gristly bits of beef.
gritty	Willing to face danger. Her eyes felt gritty.
hard	Unfortunate or hard to bear. Had hard luck.
hard-hitting	Aggressively and persistently persuasive.
hardy	(of a plant) able to survive outside during winter. A hardy breed of cattle.
harsh	Disagreeable to the senses. Harsh irritating smoke filled the hallway.
heavy	Large and powerful especially designed for heavy loads or rough work. Heavy traffic.
herculean	Extremely difficult; requiring the strength of a Hercules. A herculean task.
indestructible	Very long lasting. Indestructible plastic containers.
inflexible	Incapable of adapting or changing to meet circumstances. An inflexible iron bar.
intractable	Not tractable; difficult to manage or mold. The most intractable issue of our era.
irksome	Irritating; annoying. Petty regulations were becoming very irksome.
knotty	Extremely difficult or complex. A knotty problem.
laborious	Characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort. The work is very slow and laborious.
lawless	Disobedient to or defiant of law. Lawless bands roaming the plains.
leathery	Resembling or made to resemble leather; tough but pliable. Brown leathery skin.
mystifying	Of an obscure nature. Rituals totally mystifying to visitors from other lands.
onerous	Not easily borne; wearing. My duties weren t onerous I only had to greet the guests.
perplexing	Lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity. A perplexing problem.
prickly	Resembling prickles. My skin feels prickly.
problematic	Open to doubt or debate. If you ever get married which seems to be extremely problematic.
problematical	Open to doubt or debate. The weighting of votes was particularly problematical.
punishing	Characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort. Set a punishing pace.
puzzling	Not clear to the understanding. A puzzling statement.
resilient	(of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. Babies are generally far more resilient than new parents realize.
resistant	Disposed to or engaged in defiance of established authority. Some of the old Churches are resistant to change.
resolute	Characterized by quickness and firmness. Stood resolute against the enemy.
rigid	Incapable of adapting or changing to meet circumstances. A face rigid with pain.
rough	Not fully worked out or including every detail. The lifeboat crew braved rough seas to rescue a couple.
rowdy	Noisy and disorderly. It was a rowdy but good natured crowd.
ruffianly	Violent and lawless. The more ruffianly element.
rugged	Very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution. The binoculars are compact lightweight and rugged.
severe	Severely simple. A severe attack of asthma.
sinewy	(of a person or animal) lean and muscular. A short sinewy sunburnt man.
solid	Of good quality and condition solidly built. Solid gold.
sound	In excellent physical condition. A sound argument.
stalwart	Dependable. He was of stalwart build.
stern	Of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor forbidding in aspect. A stern face.
stiff	(of a semi-liquid substance) viscous; thick. A palace guardsman stiff as a poker.
stout	Dependable. Stout hearts.
strenuous	Characterized by or performed with much energy or force. The government made strenuous efforts to upgrade the quality of the teaching profession.
stressful	Causing mental or emotional stress. Corporate finance work can be stressful.
strict	Characterized by strictness severity or restraint. A strict vegetarian.
stringy	Lean and sinewy. The meat was a bit stringy but delicious.
strong	Strong and sure. His imagery made a strong impression on the critics.
sturdy	Having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships. The bike is sturdy enough to cope with bumpy tracks.
substantial	Strongly built or made. The first meal of the day should be substantial.
taxing	Not easily borne; wearing. A taxing schedule.
thorny	Causing distress, difficulty, or trouble. Tangled thorny branches.
ticklish	(of a situation or problem) difficult or tricky and requiring careful handling. I m ticklish on the feet.
tiring	Causing one to need rest or sleep; fatiguing. It had been a tiring day.
toughened	Physically toughened.
tricky	Marked by skill in deception. A tricky recipe to follow.
troublesome	Causing difficulty or annoyance. A troublesome situation.
unbending	Incapable of adapting or changing to meet circumstances. An unbending will to dominate.
unbreakable	Not liable to break or able to be broken easily. Unbreakable plastic dinnerwear.
uncompromising	Not making concessions. Took an uncompromising stance in the peace talks.
unruly	Unwilling to submit to authority. The little boy s parents think he is spirited but his teacher finds him unruly.
unsentimental	Facing facts or difficulties realistically and with determination. The speeches were short and unsentimental.
unsympathetic	Not showing approval or favour towards an idea or action. A job temperamentally unsympathetic to him.
unyielding	Stubbornly unyielding T S Eliot. An unyielding head support.
violent	Marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions inclined to react violently fervid. Violent passions.
wearying	Producing exhaustion. A long wearying journey.
wild	Produced from wild animals or plants without cultivation. Wild geese.

Usage Examples of "Tough" as an adjective

• A tough character.
• Police have been getting tough with drivers.
• He was feeling tough after a restless night.
• The tough bottoms of his feet.
• It was a tough job.
• Tough new laws on tobacco advertising.
• Poor kid. It's tough on her.
• A tough break.
• He liked editors who were tough enough to make the grade.
• Some plastics are as tough as metal.
• I feel the way I feel, and if you don't like it, tough.
• She was as tough as old boots.
• A tough all-weather fabric.
• A tough part of the town.
• Tough young teenagers.
• The hastily prepared steak was tough.
• It's a tough life.
• Tough rucksacks for climbers.
• Tough street gangs.
• The competition was tough.
• We have six tough matches in a row.

Associations of "Tough" (30 Words)

brave	People who are brave. He put up a brave fight before losing.
brogan	A thick and heavy shoe.
burly	Muscular and heavily built. Had a tall burly frame.
firm	Marked by firm determination or resolution not shakable. We firmly believed it.
gruff	Brusque and surly and forbidding. She spoke with a gruff masculine voice.
hard	Causing great damage or hardship. Prejudices die hard.
hardened	Used of persons emotionally hardened. Hardened criminals.
hardheaded	Guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory. A hardheaded appraisal of our position.
hardy	Having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships. Strawberries are hardy and easy to grow.
husky	(of a voice or utterance) sounding low-pitched and slightly hoarse. The husky stem of a palm tree.
inflexible	Resistant to being bent. An inflexible law.
inured	Made tough by habitual exposure- Robert Lynd- V.S.Pritchett. A peasant dark lean faced wind inured.
manliness	The fact of being typically male; masculinity. The author s alleged lack of manliness.
masculine	A masculine word or form. He is outstandingly handsome and robust very masculine.
muscular	Having a robust muscular body build characterized by predominance of structures bone and muscle and connective tissue developed from the embryonic mesodermal layer. The muscular and passionate Fifth Symphony.
potent	Having great power, influence, or effect. A potent cup of tea.
raspy	Unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound. A persistent raspy cough.
resolute	Firm in purpose or belief; characterized by firmness and determination. Faced with a resolute opposition.
rigidity	The physical property of being stiff and resisting bending. The rigidity of the school system.
rigidness	The physical property of being stiff and resisting bending.
robust	Uncompromising and forceful. A robust metal cabinet.
rowdy	Noisy and disorderly. It was a rowdy but good natured crowd.
solid	Of good quality and condition solidly built. The bank is solid and will survive this attack.
stalwart	Used especially of persons. The stalwarts of the Labour Party.
strong	Relating to or denoting the strongest of the known kinds of force between particles which acts between nucleons and other hadrons when closer than about 10 cm so binding protons in a nucleus despite the repulsion due to their charge and which conserves strangeness parity and isospin. Gave a strong pull on the rope.
sturdy	Not making concessions. The bike is sturdy enough to cope with bumpy tracks.
uncompromising	Not making concessions. The uncompromising ugliness of the era s buildings.
unyielding	Stubbornly unyielding T S Eliot. His unyielding faith.
vigorous	Strong and active physically or mentally. Gave her skirt a vigorous shake.
virile	Characterized by energy and vigor. He was a powerful virile man.