toughest

ADJECTIVE

sturdy, strong

Synonyms

STRONGEST

hard healthy resilient solid stiff tenacious tight vigorous

STRONG

firm fit hardy stalwart stout

WEAK

brawny cohesive conditioned dense durable fibrous flinty hard as nails hard-bitten hardened indigestible inflexible leathery lusty mighty molded resistant rigid robust rugged seasoned sinewy steeled strapping tough as nails unbreakable unyielding withstanding

Antonyms

STRONGEST

easy flexible loose pliable pliant slack soft weak yielding

WEAK

controllable delicate facile fragile gentle kind nice tender unstable vulnerable wobbly

ADJECTIVE

obstinate, rough

Synonyms

STRONGEST

desperate fierce hard hard-nosed harsh narrow resolute severe stern stiff strict terrible

STRONG

adamant firm refractory savage

WEAK

arbitrary callous confirmed cruel drastic exacting ferocious fixed hard-bitten hard-boiled hard-line hard-shelled headstrong immutable inflexible intractable merciless obdurate pugnacious ruffianly ruthless stubborn taut unalterable unbending uncompromising uncontrollable unforgiving unmanageable unyielding vicious violent

Antonyms

STRONGEST

amenable calm easy easy-going facile flexible gentle kind lenient mild nice peaceful pliable pliant soft tolerant uncertain yielding

STRONG

supple

WEAK

controllable delicate fragile tender unstable vulnerable weak wobbly

ADJECTIVE

difficult, laborious

Synonyms

STRONGEST

arduous demanding hard onerous severe stiff strenuous troublesome

STRONG

handful heavy mean uphill

WEAK

backbreaking baffling burdensome effortful exacting exhausting exigent grievous hairy intractable intricate irksome knotty labored no piece of cake oppressive perplexing puzzling resisting taxing thorny toilsome trying unyielding weighty wicked

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm easy facile flexible mild nice pliable pliant soft trivial

WEAK

controllable delicate fragile gentle kind tender unstable vulnerable weak wobbly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The restaurant industry is facing one of its toughest operating environments in years.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Facing world champions Spain away is arguably the toughest test in football, but to lose so comfortably was not an easy watch.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Already one of the toughest cybersecurity gaps to plug, insider attacks carried out by autonomous AI agents with privileged access to digital systems are proving even harder to prevent, security experts say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

Bass, running in the June 2 primary for a second and final term, faces the toughest reelection fight of her political career.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

“He’s bragging that he’s the biggest and toughest and meanest. He’s telling all the other bulls that if they’ve got a lick of sense, they’ll take to cover when he’s around.”

From "Old Yeller" by Fred Gipson