strong, stout, sturdy, stalwart, tough, tenacious mean showing power to resist or to endure. strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources. stout suggests an ability to endure stress, …

1. strong or resilient; durable: a tough material. 2. not tender: he could not eat the tough steak. 3. having a great capacity for endurance; hardy and fit: a tough mountaineer. 4. rough or pugnacious: a tough gangster.

These toys are made from tough plastic. Children's shoes need to be tough. strong You will need a strong cardboard box to carry all those books. tough Ceramic tiles are tougher than plastic …

Tough means "strong, hard, unbending," and you can use it to describe many different things, like a tough exam, or a tough piece of beef jerky, or a tough day that you just want to be over. If a judge punishes criminals harshly to set examples, she's "tough on crime." We call people toughs if they seem likely to beat you up.

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. It was tough to quit smoking. The problem was tough to solve. Are you tough enough for the job? He's been hanging around with a bunch of tough guys. The rug is made of tough material. He's a tough boss/teacher, but fair.

A tough person has a strong character and can tolerate difficulty or hardship. He built up a reputation as a tough businessman.

A tough person is strong and determined, and can tolerate difficulty or suffering. She built up a reputation as being a tough, but fair businesswoman. Ms. Potter has won a reputation for toughness and determination on her way to the top. If you describe someone as tough, you mean that they are rough and violent.

Tough definition: Able to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking; strong and resilient.

Definition of tough adjective in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

having or causing problems or difficulties. It was a tough decision to make. During the interview I was asked some really tough questions. Now Karen must make one of the toughest choices of her life. She's been having a tough time of it (= a lot of problems) lately. Times are tough at the moment. We've got a tough fight ahead.