Collocations for "tough"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "tough" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
tough
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.adj
- the [meat, leather, plastic] is tough
- is tough and [strong, durable]
- tough enough to [withstand, endure]
- (as) tough as [old boots, leather]
- this [exam, question] is (really) tough
- tough on [crime, terrorism, your children]
- don't be too tough on her
- that's a tough [call, choice, decision]
- it is too tough to [decide, finish]
- can be tough at [times, first]
- tough times followed the [war, collapse]
- there are tough times [ahead, to come]
- tough [luck, break]!
- vulgar: tough sh**!
- that's [really, pretty, damn] tough
- don't (have to) be a tough guy
- show her tough love
- is [built, made, constructed, designed] to be tough
- [when, if] the going gets tough
- a [gang, group, band] of toughs
- a [gang] of [street, bike, local] toughs
- [beaten up, threatened, roughened up] by toughs
- send the toughs [in, round]
- the rough and the tough
- (just) hang tough
- a [gang, group, band] of toughs
- the [meat, leather, plastic] is tough
- a [gang] of [street, bike, local] toughs
- is tough and [strong, durable]
- [beaten up, threatened, roughened up] by toughs
- tough enough to [withstand, endure]
- send the toughs [in, round]
- (as) tough as [old boots, leather]
- the rough and the tough
- this [exam, question] is (really) tough
- tough on [crime, terrorism, your children]
- don't be too tough on her
- that's a tough [call, choice, decision]
- it is too tough to [decide, finish]
- can be tough at [times, first]
- tough times followed the [war, collapse]
- there are tough times [ahead, to come]
- tough [luck, break]!
- vulgar: tough sh**!
- that's [really, pretty, damn] tough
- don't (have to) be a tough guy
- show her tough love
- is [built, made, constructed, designed] to be tough
- is [built] tough
- (just) hang tough
- [when, if] the going gets tough
'tough' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Dutch
- Greek
- Swedish
- Swiss
- achieve
- anything
- armor
- bark
- can
- certainty
- choice
- choose
- client
- competitor
- complete
- cookie
- cool
- criterion
- cushion
- customer
- cut
- darn
- decision
- draw
- dude
- enterprise
- especially
- estimate
- evaluate
- fair
- fixture
- flying
- gist
- going
- habit
- housing
- how
- integration
- job
- luck
- match
- mounting
- nut
- obstacle
- opponent
- outer
- padlock
- part
- pinpoint
- predict