Synonyms of the word

tough

• adj. Strong and resilient; sturdy.
• adj. (of food) Difficult to cut or chew.
• adj. Rugged or physically hardy.
• adj. Stubborn.
• adj. (of weather etc) Harsh or severe.
• adj. Rowdy or rough.
• adj. (of questions, etc.) Difficult or demanding.
• adj. (material science) Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking.
• interj. (slang) Used to indicate lack of sympathy.
• n. A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
• v. To endure.
• v. To toughen.

aggressor

• n. The person or country that first attacks or makes an aggression; that begins hostility or a quarrel; an…

assailant

• n. Someone who attacks or assails another violently, or criminally; an attacker.
• n. (figuratively, by extension) A hostile critic or opponent.
• adj. Assailing; attacking.

assaulter

• n. One who commits assault.

attacker

• n. Someone who attacks.
• n. (soccer) One of the players on a team in football (soccer) in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal,…

bad

• adj. Not good; unfavorable; negative.
• adj. Not suitable or fitting.
• adj. Seemingly non-appropriate, in manners, etc.
• adj. Unhealthy.
• adj. Tricky; stressful; unpleasant.
• adj. Evil; wicked.
• adj. Faulty; not functional.
• adj. (of food) Spoiled, rotten, overripe.
• adj. (of breath) Malodorous, foul.
• adj. (informal) Bold and daring.
• adj. (hip-hop slang) good, superlative.
• adj. (of a need or want) Severe, urgent.
• adv. (now colloquial) Badly.
• n. (slang) Error, mistake.
• n. (countable, uncountable, economics) An item (or kind of item) of merchandise with negative value; an unwanted…
• adj. (slang) Fantastic.
• v. (archaic) Alternative past tense of bid. See bade.
• v. (Britain, dialect, transitive) To shell (a walnut).

baffling

• v. present participle of baffle.
• adj. puzzling and frustrating.
• n. An act of foiling or thwarting.

battler

• n. One who wages battle against an enemy; a soldier; a general.
• n. (Australia, dated) An itinerant worker or unemployed person.
• n. One who who works hard in the face of adversity.
• n. Alternative form of batteler.

belligerent

• adj. Engaged in warfare, warring.
• adj. Eager to go to war, warlike.
• adj. Of or pertaining to war.
• adj. (By extension) Aggressively hostile, eager to fight.
• adj. Acting violently towards others.
• adj. uncooperative.
• n. A state or other armed participant in warfare.

bully

• n. A person who is cruel to others, especially those who are weaker or have less power.
• n. A noisy, blustering fellow, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome; an…
• n. A hired thug.
• n. A prostitute’s minder; a pimp.
• n. (uncountable) Bully beef.
• n. (obsolete) A brisk, dashing fellow.
• n. The small scrum in the Eton College field game.
• n. A small freshwater fish.
• n. (obsolete or dialectal, Ireland and Northern England) An (eldest) brother; a fellow workman; comrade.
• n. (dialectal) A companion; mate. (male or female).
• n. (obsolete) darling, sweetheart. (male or female).
• v. (transitive) To intimidate (someone) as a bully.
• v. (transitive) To act aggressively towards.
• adj. (US, slang) Very good; excellent.
• adj. (slang) Jovial and blustering; dashing.
• interj. (often followed by for) Well done!

callous

• adj. Emotionally hardened; unfeeling and indifferent to the suffering/feelings of others.
• adj. Having calluses.
• n. Alternative form of callus.

calloused

• adj. Having become or being made callous.

cartilaginous

• adj. Comprising of soft cartilage rather than bones.
• adj. Related to or resembling cartilage.
• adj. (mycology) Having a tough or fibrous texture, usually in reference to a mushroom stipe.

chewy

• adj. having a pliable or springy texture when chewed.

combatant

• n. An armed fighter.
• adj. Contending; disposed to contend.

coriaceous

• adj. (botany) Resembling leather; leathery.

criminal

• adj. Being against the law; forbidden by law.
• adj. Guilty of breaking the law.
• adj. Of or relating to crime or penal law.
• adj. (figuratively) Abhorrent or very undesirable, even if allowed by law.
• n. A person who is guilty of a crime, notably breaking the law.

crook

• n. A bend; turn; curve; curvature; a flexure.
• n. A bending of the knee; a genuflection.
• n. A bent or curved part; a curving piece or portion (of anything).
• n. (obsolete) A lock or curl of hair.
• n. (obsolete) A gibbet.
• n. (obsolete) A support beam consisting of a post with a cross-beam resting upon it; a bracket or truss consisting…
• n. A shepherd's crook; a staff with a semi-circular bend ("hook") at one end used by shepherds.
• n. A bishop's staff of office.
• n. An artifice; a trick; a contrivance.
• n. A person who steals, lies, cheats or does other dishonest or illegal things; a criminal.
• n. A pothook.
• n. (music) A small tube, usually curved, applied to a trumpet, horn, etc., to change its pitch or key.
• v. (transitive) To bend.
• v. To turn from the path of rectitude; to pervert; to misapply; to twist.
• adj. (Australia, New Zealand, slang) Bad, unsatisfactory, not up to standard.
• adj. (Australia, New Zealand, slang) Ill, sick.
• adj. (Australia, New Zealand, slang) Annoyed, angry; upset.

difficult

• adj. Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
• adj. (often of a person, or a horse, etc) Hard to manage, uncooperative, troublesome.
• adj. (obsolete) Unable or unwilling.
• v. (obsolete, transitive) To make difficult; to impede; to perplex.

enured

• v. simple past tense and past participle of enure.

experienced

• adj. Having experience and skill in a subject.
• adj. Experient.
• v. past participle of experience.

experient

• n. A person who experiences something.
• adj. Met with in the course of experience.

felon

• n. A person who has committed a felony.
• n. (law) A person who has been tried and convicted of a felony.
• n. (medicine) A bacterial infection at the end of a finger or toe.

fibrous

• adj. Of or pertaining to fibre.

fighter

• n. A person who fights; a combatant.
• n. A warrior; fighting soldier.
• n. A pugnacious, competitive person.
• n. (eulogistic) A person with a strong determination to resist protracted or severe adversity, especially…
• n. A class of fixed-wing aircraft whose primary purpose is that of shooting down other aircraft. Some of…
• n. A boxer or participant in any martial art.
• n. (colloquial) A firefighter.
• n. (video games) A game with a focus on physical combat.

goon

• n. A thug; a usually muscular henchman with little intelligence (also known as a 'hired goon').
• n. A fool; someone considered silly, stupid, awkward, or outlandish.
• n. (ice hockey, pejorative) An enforcer or fighter.
• n. (Britain, WWII, PoW slang) A German guard in a prisoner of war camp.
• n. (Internet slang) A member of the comedy web site Something Awful.
• n. (Australia, countable, informal) A wine flagon or cask.
• n. (Australia, uncountable, informal) Cheap or inferior cask wine.

gristly

• adj. Resembling or containing gristle.

hard

• adj. (of material or fluid) Having a severe property; presenting difficulty.
• adj. (personal or social) Having a severe property; presenting difficulty.
• adj. Unquestionable.
• adj. (of a road intersection) Having a comparatively larger or a ninety-degree angle.
• adj. (slang, vulgar, of a male) Sexually aroused.
• adj. (bodybuilding) Having muscles that are tightened as a result of intense, regular exercise.
• adj. (phonetics, not comparable).
• adj. (art) Having a severe property; presenting a barrier to enjoyment.
• adj. (not comparable) In the form of a hard copy.
• adv. (manner) With much force or effort.
• adv. (manner) With difficulty.
• adv. (obsolete) So as to raise difficulties.
• adv. (manner) Compactly.
• adv. (now archaic) Near, close.
• n. (countable, nautical) A firm or paved beach or slope convenient for hauling vessels out of the water.
• n. (uncountable, drugs, colloquial, slang) crack cocaine.

hard-bitten

• adj. callous and toughened by experience.

hard-boiled

• adj. (of a boiled egg) Cooked to a solid consistency.
• adj. (of a person, especially of a detective) Callous and unsentimental.
• v. simple past tense and past participle of hard-boil.

hardened

• v. simple past tense and past participle of harden.
• adj. Unfeeling or lacking emotion due to experience; callous.

hempen

• adj. (dated) Made of hemp.
• adj. Related to hempen ropes, i.e., to hanging as capital punishment.

hood

• n. A covering such as worn over one’s head.
• n. A distinctively coloured fold of material, representing a university degree.
• n. An enclosure that protects something, especially from above.
• n. (automotive) A soft top of a convertible car or carriage.
• n. (US, automotive) The hinged cover over the engine of a motor vehicle: known as a bonnet in other countries.
• n. A metal covering that leads to a vent to suck away smoke or fumes.
• v. To cover something with a hood.
• n. (slang) gangster, thug.
• adj. Relating to inner-city everyday life, both positive and negative aspects; especially people’s attachment…
• n. (slang) neighborhood.
• n. (Britain) person wearing a hoodie.

hoodlum

• n. a gangster; a hired thug.
• n. a rough or violent youth.

hooligan

• n. (informal, pejorative) A person that causes trouble or violence.

inedible

• adj. not edible; not appropriate, worthy, or safe to eat.
• n. Anything inedible; that which is not a foodstuff.

insensitive

• adj. Not expressing normal physical feeling.
• adj. Not expressing normal emotional feelings; cold; tactless; undiplomatic.

inured

• v. simple past tense and past participle of inure.

knotty

• adj. Full of knots.
• adj. Complicated or tricky; complex; difficult.

leathered

• v. simple past tense and past participle of leather.
• adj. (slang) Very drunk; intoxicated.

leatherlike

• adj. Resembling leather.

leathery

• adj. Having the consistency, feel, or texture of leather.

malefactor

• n. A criminal or felon.
• n. An evildoer.

outlaw

• n. A fugitive from the law.
• n. (historical) A criminal who is excluded from normal legal rights; one who can be killed at will without…
• n. A person who operates outside established norms.
• n. A wild horse.
• n. (humorous) An in-law: a relative by marriage.
• n. (slang) A prostitute who works alone, without a pimp.
• v. To declare illegal.
• v. To place a ban upon.
• v. To remove from legal jurisdiction or enforcement.
• v. To deprive of legal force.

problematic

• adj. Posing a problem; having or suffering from problem(s).
• n. (chiefly in the plural) A problem or difficulty in a particular field of study.

problematical

• adj. doubtful or disputed.
• adj. dubious or ambiguous.

pugnacious

• adj. Naturally aggressive or hostile; combative; belligerent; bellicose.

punk

• n. (obsolete, countable) A prostitute; courtesan.
• n. (countable, uncommon) The bottom in a male-male sexual relationship, especially in prison.
• n. (countable) A juvenile delinquent; a young, petty criminal or trouble-maker; a hoodlum; a hooligan.
• n. (countable) Any worthless person.
• n. (uncountable) A social and musical movement rooted in rebelling against the established order.
• n. (uncountable) The music of the punk movement, known for short songs with electric guitars, strong drums,…
• n. (countable, sometimes as informal plural punx) A person who belongs to that movement and/or listens to…
• adj. Of, from, or resembling the punk subculture.
• adj. (Canada, US, informal) Weak or unwell; not in good health.
• adj. (Canada, US, informal) Inferior; bad.
• v. To pimp.
• v. To forcibly perform anal sex upon an unwilling partner.
• v. To prank.
• v. (especially with "out") To give up or concede; to act like a wimp.
• n. (uncountable) Any material used as tinder for lighting fires, such as agaric, dried wood, or touchwood,…
• n. (countable) A utensil for lighting wicks or fuses (such as those of fireworks) resembling stick incense.

roughneck

• n. (colloquial, chiefly US) Someone with rough manners; a rowdy or uncouth person.
• n. (colloquial, chiefly US) An ironworker; a dirty or low-paid worker, a labourer.
• n. (colloquial, chiefly US) A labourer on an oil rig.
• v. To work as a laborer on an oil rig.

rowdy

• adj. loud and disorderly; riotous; boisterous.
• n. A boisterous person; a brawler.

rubbery

• adj. Of, relating to, or resembling rubber, especially in consistency.

ruffian

• n. A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.
• n. (obsolete) A pimp; a pander.
• n. (obsolete) A lover; a paramour.
• v. To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult.
• adj. Brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous.

ruffianly

• adj. Like or having the qualities of a ruffian.
• adv. In the manner of a ruffian.

rugged

• adj. Broken into sharp or irregular points; uneven; not smooth; rough.
• adj. Nor neat nor regular; irregular, uneven.
• adj. Rough with bristles or hair; shaggy.
• adj. (of a person) Strong, sturdy, well-built.
• adj. (of land) Rocky and bare of plantlife.
• adj. (of temper, character, or people) Harsh; austere; hard; crabbed.
• adj. Stormy; turbulent; tempestuous; rude.
• adj. (of sound, style etc.) Harsh; grating; rough to the ear.
• adj. (of looks, appearance etc.) Sour; surly; frowning; wrinkled.
• adj. (of behaviour) Violent; rude; boisterous.
• adj. (of health, physique etc.) Vigorous; robust; hardy.
• adj. (computing, of a computer) Designed to reliably operate in harsh usage environments and conditions.
• adj. Having a rug or rugs.
• adj. Covered with a rug.
• v. simple past tense and past participle of rug.

scrapper

• n. A person who disposes of scraps.
• n. A person who fights doggedly, who exhibits indomitable will.

sinewy

• adj. Tough; having strong sinews.
• adj. (figuratively) Having or showing nervous strength.
• adj. (of a person) Possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful.

stringy

• adj. Composed of, or resembling, string or strings.
• adj. (of a person) Wiry, lean, scrawny.
• adj. (programming, informal) Resembling or involving text strings.

strong

• adj. Capable of producing great physical force.
• adj. Capable of withstanding great physical force.
• adj. (of water, wind, etc.) Having a lot of power.
• adj. Determined; unyielding.
• adj. Highly stimulating to the senses.
• adj. Having an offensive or intense odor or flavor.
• adj. Having a high concentration of an essential or active ingredient.
• adj. (specifically) Having a high alcoholic content.
• adj. (grammar) Inflecting in a different manner than the one called weak, such as Germanic verbs which change…
• adj. (chemistry) That completely ionizes into anions and cations in a solution.
• adj. (military) Not easily subdued or taken.
• adj. (slang, US) Impressive, good.
• adj. Having a specified number of people or units.
• adj. (of a disease or symptom) severe (very bad or intense).
• adj. (mathematics, logic) Having a wide range of logical consequences; widely applicable. (Often contrasted…
• adj. (of an argument) Convincing.
• adv. In a strong manner.

sturdy

• adj. Of firm build; stiff; stout; strong.
• adj. Solid in structure or person.
• adj. (obsolete) Foolishly obstinate or resolute; stubborn.
• adj. Resolute, in a good sense; or firm, unyielding quality.
• n. A disease in sheep and cattle, marked by great nervousness, or by dullness and stupor.

thickened

• v. simple past tense and past participle of thicken.

thug

• n. Someone with an intimidating and unseemly appearance and mannerisms, who treats others violently and roughly,…
• n. (historical) One of a band of assassins formerly active in northern India who worshipped Kali and offered…
• n. In gardening, an over-vigorous plant that spreads and dominates the flowerbed.
• v. To commit acts of thuggery, to live the life of a thug, or to dress and act in a manner reminiscent of…

tough-minded

• adj. Not distracted from actual facts by enticements, intimidation, or sentimentality; steadfast in one's actions,…

tough-skinned

• adj. Resilient; able to endure hardship or criticism, with no apparent adverse effects.

toughened

• v. simple past tense and past participle of toughen.

toughie

• n. (informal) Something that is tough, or difficult.

unchewable

• adj. That cannot be chewed.

uncomfortable

• adj. Not comfortable.
• adj. Experiencing discomfort.
• adj. Uneasy or anxious.
• adj. Put off or disgusted.

uneatable

• adj. Not eatable; not fit for eating.

unsentimental

• adj. Not sentimental.

violent

• adj. Involving extreme force or motion.
• adj. Involving physical conflict.
• adj. Likely to use physical force.
• adj. Intensely vivid.
• adj. (obsolete) Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural.
• v. (transitive, archaic) To urge with violence.
• n. (obsolete) An assailant.

weather-beaten

• adj. Beaten or harassed by the weather; worn or damaged by exposure to the weather or the outdoors, especially…

yob

• n. (obsolete, back slang) A boy.
• n. (pejorative, chiefly Britain, Australia, New Zealand, slang) A person who engages in antisocial behaviour…

yobbo

• n. (Britain, Australia, New Zealand, pejorative, slang) A yob.

yobo

• n. (slang, Australia) Someone, usually a male, who is uncouth, badly behaved and obnoxious. Loud and drunk…
• n. (slang, Britain) A cruel and brutal fellow.