Thesaurus results for TOUGHIE

toughie

noun

ˈtə-fē

variants also toughy

Definition of toughie

as in thug

a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang after numerous suspensions, the school toughies were finally expelled for gang activities on campus

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of toughie Extra time may be spent looking for that toughie that was present just a few days ago. — Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, 15 Dec. 2017 And special days call for special grids, such as this set of six toughies that were originally shelved but have remained in our hearts. — Vulture Editors, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025 The surprises come from Rachel McAdams, who holds her own as a wise-cracking toughie, and PeÃ±a, who defrosts from macho pride mode with low-key grace. — Hugh Hart, WIRED, 29 Oct. 2008 Another cold-weather toughie is Alaska's red flat bark beetle, which, under lab conditions, can survive cooling down to minus 238 degrees Fahrenheit. — Liz Langley, National Geographic, 10 Dec. 2016 Other toughies are at the not-so-soft Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13, the revenge trip to New England in Week 15 and the Philadelphia Eagles at Highmark Stadium in Week 17. — Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for toughie

Noun

Alyssa Thomas' thug-like play, punching Caitlin Clark in the throat and kneeing her in the groin, is indefensible.

— Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
Ditto Hugh Jackman’s unerring performance — perhaps his finest dramatic work yet — as a savage, unfeeling thug and unrepentant murderer and thief.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2026

Definition of thug

Noun

And Susan Collins, as Democrats have seen time and time again, is a real tough out.

— NBC news, NBC news, 21 June 2026
In that version, the character is played by Joe Don Baker, the great character actor known for playing toughs in films like Walking Tall (1973) and Fletch (1985).

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026

Definition of tough

Noun

There are probably easier ways to mount a crime thriller steeped in gritty realism than centering it on a villain made of gas.

— Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
That doesn’t mean Netherlands players are villains, or anything less than heroes for their country.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of villain

Noun

Data that appears to be compliance information to a regulator can appear to be a target list to a criminal.

— Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
The Colorado attorney general oversees more than 700 attorneys and staff and manages legal manners spanning consumer protection, civil rights, criminal, water, constitutional and environmental law.

— Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Definition of criminal

Noun

Madonna was stopped dead in her tracks by the strapping 30-year-old auteur of the nouvelle vague gangster movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, an eye-popping directorial debut.

— Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 5 July 2026
Yet Francis Ford Coppola's original sprawling gangster epic is undeniable.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of gangster

Noun

Instead, most are romantic stories about young lovers separated by fate, and the rest are swashbuckling adventures full of bandits and pirates.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
Fantastical adventures ensue as the pair encounter a mysterious woman, Alexandra, who has lost her son, along with coyotes, bandits, and some pretty big secrets.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 29 June 2026

Definition of bandit

Noun

Julie has returned her old ways as an assassin, whilst navigating an equally perilous dating scene, while Edward’s honeymoon with Kayla (Shalom Brune-Franklin) doesn’t go quite as planned.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 July 2026
In Ride or Die, Waddingham plays Judith Burton, who lives a double life as an assassin.

— Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026

Definition of assassin

Browse Nearby Words

toughens

toughie

toughies

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“Toughie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toughie. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of toughie

noun

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