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Antonyms for tough


Grammar : Adj, noun
Spell : tuhf
Phonetic Transcription : tʌf



Definition of tough

Origin :
  • Old English toh "difficult to break or chew," from Proto-Germanic *tankhuz (cf. Middle Low German tege, Middle Dutch taey, Dutch taai, Old High German zach, German zäh). See rough for spelling change.
  • Figurative sense of "strenuous, difficult, hard to beat" is first recorded c.1200; that of "hard to do, trying, laborious" is from 1610s. Verb tough it "endure the experience" is first recorded 1830, American English. Tough guy first recorded 1932. Tough-minded first recorded 1907 in William James. Tough luck first recorded 1912; tough shit is from 1946.
  • adj sturdy, strong
  • adj obstinate, rough
  • adj difficult, laborious
  • noun person who is rowdy, mean
Example sentences :
  • He was tough, but the ranch horses of John Merchant came out from a night of rest.
  • Extract from : « Way of the Lawless » by Max Brand
  • If the mushrooms are found to be tough, the skin should be peeled off.
  • Extract from : « Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 2 » by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
  • Even when they did pick out novels, they were just as tough as the history books.
  • Extract from : « In the Midst of Alarms » by Robert Barr
  • This game's too tough fer me—I'll ship me plugs to Gravesend.
  • Extract from : « Thoroughbreds » by W. A. Fraser
  • There he met two other tough ones like himself,—Duroc and Junot.
  • Extract from : « The Boy Life of Napoleon » by Eugenie Foa
  • The ankle was small and curved like an axe handle and looked as tough.
  • Extract from : « The Underdog » by F. Hopkinson Smith
  • That same world is a tough wrestler, and has a bear's gripe.
  • Extract from : « Night and Morning, Complete » by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
  • All other pieces are, for this purpose, comparatively hard and tough.
  • Extract from : « Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches » by Eliza Leslie
  • All other parts are for this purpose comparatively hard and tough.
  • Extract from : « Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches » by Eliza Leslie
  • If a goose is old it is useless to cook it, as when hard and tough it cannot be eaten.
  • Extract from : « Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches » by Eliza Leslie

Synonyms for tough

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019