toughest
toughest — adjective
- toughestpositive
- more toughestcomparative
- most toughestsuperlative
1. used about a substance or object that is the most physically strong, difficult t
used about a substance or object that is the most physically strong, difficult to break, or able to hold heavy weight without being damaged.
The toughened glass used in the aquarium is the toughest material the engineers could find.
toughest + material for describing physical strength
Kevin tested several ropes and chose the toughest one for the climbing trip.
Concrete mixed with this new fibre is the toughest on the market.
The car's body panels are made from the toughest plastic available.
用法筆記
Commonly appears with nouns like material, fabric, steel, plastic, glass. Often used in product comparisons.
常見錯誤
2. describes a person who is the most mentally or emotionally strong, able to get t
describes a person who is the most mentally or emotionally strong, able to get through bad experiences, pain, or hard work without giving up.
After losing both parents at a young age, Mira grew up to be the toughest person in her family.
toughest + person for describing mental strength
The marathon runners who finished were the toughest competitors in the race.
Nia is the toughest kid in the team — she never complains even after a hard loss.
João was easily the toughest soldier in the unit, known for staying calm under fire.
- hardiest
suggests physical endurance especially in harsh conditions
- most resilient
emphasises the ability to recover quickly from setbacks
- strongest
broader; tough here focuses on endurance of hardship
- weakest
the most easily defeated or upset by difficulties
- most fragile
emotionally delicate, opposite of resilient
用法筆記
Often used with nouns like person, guy, woman, kid, competitor, soldier, survivor. Can describe emotional resilience, not just physical endurance.
常見錯誤
3. refers to a rule, law, policy, or person that is the most severe or firm, giving
refers to a rule, law, policy, or person that is the most severe or firm, giving the least freedom and offering no exceptions.
Singapore has some of the toughest anti-littering laws in the world.
toughest + laws / regulations
The new headteacher is the toughest the school has ever had — no phones are allowed at all.
Chiara had to pass the toughest driving test in her country before she could get a licence.
Critics say these are the toughest immigration rules introduced in the last ten years.
用法筆記
Common with nouns like law, rule, policy, regulation, test, exam, penalty, sentence, teacher, judge. This sense is distinct from sense 1 (physical strength) and sense 2 (personal resilience).
常見錯誤
4. describes a task, problem, situation, or question that is the hardest to complet
describes a task, problem, situation, or question that is the hardest to complete, understand, or deal with.
This is the toughest exam the students have ever taken in this school.
toughest + exam / problem / task
Saira faced the toughest decision of her life when she had to choose between two jobs.
The toughest part of the hike was the last two kilometres up the steep hill.
For most learners, pronunciation is the toughest skill to master in a new language.
Finding affordable housing in the city centre is the toughest challenge young people face here.
- hardest
more common in everyday speech; tough and hard are often interchangeable
- most difficult
slightly more formal than 'toughest'
- most challenging
more positive tone; suggests a rewarding difficulty
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns like task, job, exam, question, problem, decision, challenge, part, time. Can replace 'most difficult' in informal and neutral contexts. More common than 'hardest' in spoken English.
常見錯誤
5. describes food, especially meat, that requires a lot of chewing because the fibr
describes food, especially meat, that requires a lot of chewing because the fibres are very firm, often from overcooking or poor quality.
The steak was the toughest piece of meat Zayd had ever tried to eat.
toughest + meat / steak for chewy food
This bread got left out overnight and is now the toughest loaf you can imagine.
Beatriz complained that the chicken breast was the toughest she had ever been served.
The outer edge of the roasted pork was the toughest part and took several minutes to chew.
- chewiest
chewy can be positive (candy) or negative (overcooked meat); tough is always negative for food
- hardest to chew
explicit description; less common in everyday speech
用法筆記
Exclusively used for food texture. Common with meat, steak, chicken, bread, beef. Does not describe food that is hard in a crunchy or crispy way (like a biscuit or toast).
常見錯誤
6. refers to a person, place, or situation that is the most dangerous, rough, or li
refers to a person, place, or situation that is the most dangerous, rough, or likely to involve violence or criminal behaviour.
The police were called to the toughest neighbourhood in the city late last night.
toughest + neighbourhood / area / guy for describing danger
In prison movies, the toughest inmate usually controls the exercise yard.
Sayaka avoided the bar near the station because it attracted the toughest crowd in town.
The port district was known as the toughest area in the city, with frequent street fights.
- roughest
very similar; 'rough' can mean dangerous or unpolished in manner
- most violent
more formal and direct; 'tough' can be slightly less severe
- most dangerous
broader — includes non-violent risks too
用法筆記
Common with nouns like guy, neighbourhood, area, district, crowd, inmate, bar. Can sound old-fashioned or stereotypical. Often used in crime stories, films, or discussions about dangerous places.
常見錯誤
7. used informally to say that someone has the worst luck or is experiencing the mo
used informally to say that someone has the worst luck or is experiencing the most unfair or unfortunate set of circumstances.
Eve missed the bus, lost her phone, and then it rained — she is having the toughest day.
informal: having a tough day / time
Pim got the toughest draw in the competition, having to face the top player first.
The Watanabe family had the toughest luck when their flight was cancelled three times in a row.
It was the toughest break of his career — the injury happened just before the finals.
- unluckiest
more direct; tough in this sense is slightly more informal and empathetic
- hardest
can overlap when describing a difficult period ('a hard time')
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases: tough luck, tough break, a tough day, a tough time. Less common in formal writing. Can express sympathy ('tough luck, mate') or genuine commiseration.
常見錯誤
8. used as a short, dismissive response to someone's complaint or problem, showing
used as a short, dismissive response to someone's complaint or problem, showing no sympathy and suggesting the person should just accept the situation.
"I forgot my lunch at home." "Toughest — there is no food delivery allowed in class."
dismissive standalone use: 'Toughest'
When Kevin complained about the early meeting, his boss just shrugged and said, "Toughest."
"But I studied all night!" the student cried. The teacher replied, "Toughest. The exam is tomorrow."
"I cannot believe they raised the rent again." "Toughest. That is how the market works."
- too bad
similar dismissive tone but slightly softer
- that's rough
can be sympathetic or dismissive depending on tone
用法筆記
This sense does NOT describe a quality of a person or thing. It is a standalone interjection-like response, similar in meaning to 'that's your problem' or 'too bad'. Can be considered rude or unsympathetic. Much more common in American English than British English.
常見錯誤
toughest — noun
- toughestsingular
- toughestsplural
1. a person who is physically strong, aggressive, and often involved in violence or
a person who is physically strong, aggressive, and often involved in violence or criminal activity, especially in stories about street crime or prison.
In the movie, the toughest of the gang was a huge man nobody dared to cross.
noun: 'the toughest' meaning the most violent person in a group
The new prisoner wanted to prove he was the toughest in the block.
A group of tough guys stood outside the nightclub, checking who came in.
Local shopkeepers were afraid of the toughest guys who hung around the alley.
用法筆記
Used mainly in informal contexts and fiction. The plural form 'toughests' exists but is rare. The countable noun 'a tough' is more common; 'the toughest' as a noun usually refers to the most violent member of a group.