tough: meaning and words from its letters
5 letters · 9 letter points · starts with T · ends with H
Meaning of tough
adj
Of a material, strong and resilient; sturdy.
Example: The tent, made of tough canvas, held up to many abuses.
Of food, difficult to cut or chew.
Example: To soften a tough cut of meat, the recipe suggested simmering it for hours.
- figuratively
Of a person or animal, rugged or physically hardy.
Example: Only a tough species will survive in the desert.
- figuratively
Of a person, stubborn or persistent; capable of stubbornness or persistence.
Example: He had a reputation as a tough negotiator.
Listed forms: tougher, toughest, tuff.
Source: Wiktionary — tough.
intj
- slang
Used to indicate lack of sympathy
Example: If you don't like it, tough!
Listed forms: tuff.
Source: Wiktionary — tough.
noun
A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
Example: They were doing fine until they encountered a bunch of toughs from the opposition.
Listed forms: toughs, tuff.
Source: Wiktionary — tough.
Adapted from Wiktionary contributors via Kaikki.org. Selected senses and forms; quotations omitted. Definition text is CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms by meaning
Words are grouped by sense, so they are not necessarily interchangeable in every context. Search synonyms for tough.
adjective
very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution
adjective
physically toughened
adjective
substantially made or constructed
adjective
violent and lawless
Open English WordNet Team, 2025, derived from Princeton University WordNet; selected synonym groups under CC BY 4.0. Source · OEWN notice · Princeton notice.
Is tough in our word lists?
| Word list | Status |
|---|---|
| American English | Found |
| British English | Found |
| Extended English | Found |
These are spelling-list matches, not official game validity checks. Check the rules and dictionary used by your game.
Letter-value score of tough
T(1) + O(1) + U(1) + G(2) + H(4) = 9 points.
This is a sum of letter values without board bonuses or word multipliers. A blank tile is worth zero: subtract the value of each letter supplied by a blank. The score does not establish game validity. Full letter-value table.
Anagrams of tough
1 other standard-list word uses exactly these letters, including repeated letters.
Shorter words from tough
24 shorter standard-list words can be made using no letter more often than it occurs in tough. Showing up to 24, longest first.