tough
gb/tˈʌf/ us/tˈʌf/
A2
Anglais
~ 2300
Sens
0 sens
adjective
A2
property
1
Hard to do or manage
Needing a lot of work or strength to do.
Schéma d’usage :
a tough [task/problem/decision]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'tough' with 'rough' when describing difficulty. 'Rough' often refers to physical texture or harsh conditions, while 'tough' here means difficult.
Synonymes
difficult (More general; lacks the connotation of personal endurance often implied by 'tough'.)
Antonymes
easy (Indicates something that requires little effort, the opposite of tough in this sense.)
Collocations
tough decision
|tough choice
|tough problem
|tough situation
Thèmes
daily life
|work
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Climbing that mountain was a tough challenge.
- It was a tough decision to leave my hometown.
- The exam was tougher than I expected.
- She faced a tough situation at work.
- This is a tough problem to solve.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This is a tough job.
- It is a tough test.
- He has a tough choice.
- That was a tough game.
- She had a tough day.
adjective
A2
property
2
Physically strong and resilient
Strong and able to keep going in hard situations.
Schéma d’usage :
a tough [person/athlete/soldier]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may overuse 'tough' for all strong people; in some contexts 'strong' may be more natural if endurance is not implied.
Synonymes
strong (General term for physical power; 'tough' also implies endurance and resilience.)
Antonymes
weak (Lacking physical strength or endurance.)
Collocations
tough guy
|tough soldier
|tough competitor
Thèmes
people
|sports
|health
|body
Exemples
- The boxer is known for being incredibly tough.
- She’s a tough competitor who never gives up.
- These boots are tough enough for hiking in rocky terrain.
- He proved how tough he was during military training.
- Our team needs some tough players.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He is a tough man.
- She is a tough runner.
- This bag is tough.
- The dog is tough and strong.
- My shoes are tough for long walks.
adjective
A2
property
3
Hard to chew or cut
Hard and not easy to chew or cut.
Schéma d’usage :
tough [meat/material]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'tough' here with 'hard' meaning difficult; here it refers to physical texture.
Synonymes
chewy (Emphasizes the need for prolonged chewing; often less negative than 'tough'.)
Antonymes
tender (Soft and easy to cut or chew.)
Collocations
tough meat
|tough steak
|tough fabric
Thèmes
food
|materials
|food_drink
|daily_life
Exemples
- The steak was overcooked and very tough.
- This leather is tough and will last for years.
- The bread had gone stale and was tough to eat.
- Her jacket is made from a tough fabric.
- These ropes are made from a tough synthetic fiber.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The meat is tough.
- My shoes are made from tough leather.
- This bread is tough now.
- The steak is too tough to eat.
- The rope is tough and strong.
adjective
informal
B1
property
4
Emotionally strong and resilient
Able to stay strong when bad things happen.
Schéma d’usage :
a tough [person/kid/woman]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse emotional toughness with rudeness; being 'tough' here means strong, not unfriendly.
Synonymes
resilient ('Resilient' focuses on recovery from setbacks; 'tough' suggests enduring without breaking.)
Antonymes
sensitive (Easily affected emotionally, unlike someone described as 'tough'.)
Collocations
tough kid
|tough survivor
|tough negotiator
Thèmes
emotions
|people
|health
Exemples
- She’s been through a lot, but she’s tough.
- You have to be tough to work in that industry.
- He’s a tough negotiator who doesn’t back down easily.
- The coach wants players who are mentally tough.
- Growing up in poverty made her tough.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She is a tough woman.
- He is a tough boy.
- My dad is a tough man.
- You need to be tough for this job.
- She stayed tough after the bad news.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
tough
API
GB/tˈʌf/
US/tˈʌf/
Syllabes et accentuation
tough (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (tough)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: tough
- Comparative: tougher
- Superlative: toughest
Famille de mots
Forms
tougher
adjective
toughest
adjective
Core family
toughness
noun B2
toughen
verb
Related words
toughie
noun
Expressions
a tough break
1/ə tˈʌf bɹˈeɪk/
idiom
informal
An unlucky setback or misfortune
Something bad that happens that makes life harder for someone.
Exemples
- It’s a tough break that you missed the train by just one minute.
- Getting injured before the final game was a real tough break.
a tough call
1/ə tˈʌf kˈɔl/
fixed phrase
A hard decision between options
A choice that is hard to make because both options are difficult or good in different ways.
Exemples
- Choosing between the two job offers was a tough call.
- It’s a tough call, but I think we should wait.
as tough as nails
1/ˈæz tˈʌf ˈæz nˈeɪlz/
idiom
informal
Very strong and hardy person
Very strong and able to keep going without showing weakness or fear.
Exemples
- Don’t be fooled by her size—she’s as tough as nails.
- He’s as tough as nails after years in the army.
hang tough
1/hˈæŋ tˈʌf/
idiom
informal
Stay determined under pressure
To keep going and not give up when things are hard.
Exemples
- Even when the team was losing badly, they managed to hang tough until the end.
- You just have to hang tough through these difficult times.