Tough vs. Hard: Difference and Comparison
Edited by Muazma Batool — By Muneeza Rehman — Updated on February 19, 2024
"Tough" generally refers to strength, resilience, or difficult situations, while "hard" pertains to solidness, rigidity, or intense conditions.
Difference Between Tough and Hard
"Tough" and "hard" are two words that often seem interchangeable but have nuanced differences. "Tough" often describes something that's durable and able to withstand wear or pressure. For instance, leather is often described as tough because of its resilience to wear. Similarly, a person who endures challenges without giving up is considered "tough."
Muazma Batool
Feb 04, 2024
On the other hand, "hard" describes something solid, not easily penetrated or yielding to pressure. Diamonds, being one of the hardest substances, exemplify this. In human context, someone who's unemotional or insensitive might be termed "hard-hearted."
Muneeza Rehman
Feb 04, 2024
"Tough" can also imply something challenging or difficult to handle. If a math problem is challenging to solve, it might be called a "tough problem." "Hard" in the context of difficulty often indicates intensity. A "hard blow," for instance, implies a lot of force.
Muazma Batool
Feb 04, 2024
Moreover, "tough" has a broader emotional context. Someone who's been through many struggles in life and remains resilient might be called a "tough individual." Whereas "hard" can relate to conditions or circumstances, such as a "hard winter," indicating severe cold.
Muneeza Rehman
Feb 04, 2024
In essence, while there's overlap, "tough" leans more towards resilience and durability, whereas "hard" emphasizes solidity and intensity.
Henry
Feb 04, 2024
Tough vs. Hard Comparison Chart
Emotional Context
Endurance through challenges.
Lacking emotion or sensitivity.
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Feb 04, 2024
Level of Difficulty
Difficult or challenging situation.
Intense condition or effort.
Muazma Batool
Feb 04, 2024
Usage
Often used for materials and personalities.
Broadly used in various contexts.
Muneeza Rehman
Feb 04, 2024
Tough vs. Hard Definitions
◉Hard
Solid, firm, and resistant to pressure.
The floor was made of hard concrete.
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Sep 15, 2023
◉Tough
Strong and durable; not easily broken.
He wore tough boots for hiking.
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Sep 15, 2023
◉Hard
Resistant to pressure; not readily penetrated; firm or solid
a hard material.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
Able to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking; strong and resilient
a tough all-weather fabric.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Well protected from an attack, as by aerial bombardment
bunkers and other hard targets.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Performed with or marked by great diligence or energy
a project that required years of hard work.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Difficult to understand or impart
Physics was the hardest of my courses. Thermodynamics is a hard course to teach.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
Inclined to violent or disruptive behavior; rowdy or rough
a tough street group.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Proceeding or performing with force, vigor, or persistence; assiduous
a hard worker.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
Difficult to deal with; demanding or troubling
It's tough to go to school and work a full-time job. The exam had many tough questions.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
(Informal) Unfortunate; too bad
It was a tough break to get sick on the day of the concert.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Lacking compassion or sympathy; callous
became hard after years in prison.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Oppressive or unjust in nature or effect
restrictions that were hard on welfare applicants.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
(of a material) Strong and resilient; sturdy.
The tent, made of tough canvas, held up to many abuses.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Harsh or severe in effect or intention
I said some hard things that I regret.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
(of food) Difficult to cut or chew.
To soften a tough cut of meat, the recipe suggested simmering it for hours.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Marked by stubborn refusal to compromise or yield; uncompromising
drives a hard bargain.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
(of a person or animal) Rugged or physically hardy.
Only a tough species will survive in the desert.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
(of a person) Stubborn or persistent; capable of stubbornness or persistence.
He had a reputation as a tough negotiator.
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◉Hard
Causing damage or premature wear
Snow and ice are hard on a car's finish.
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◉Tough
Rowdy or rough.
A bunch of the tough boys from the wrong side of the tracks threatened him.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
(slang) Used to indicate lack of sympathy
If you don't like it, tough!
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Free from illusion or sentimentality; practical or realistic
We need to take a hard look at the situation.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
They were doing fine until they encountered a bunch of toughs from the opposition.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Using or based on data that are readily quantified or verified
the hard sciences.
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◉Hard
Marked by sharp delineation or contrast
a hard line separating the two lists.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
Having the quality of flexibility without brittleness; yielding to force without breaking; capable of resisting great strain; as, the ligaments of animals are remarkably tough.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong; - of objects and people; as, tough sinews.
A body made of brass, the crone demands, . . . Tough to the last, and with no toil to tire.
The basis of his character was caution combined with tough tenacity of purpose.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Being a turn in a specific direction at an angle more acute than other possible routes.
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◉Tough
Stiff; rigid; not flexible; stubborn; as, a tough bow.
So tough a frame she could not bend.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
Prone to aggressive or violent behavior; rowdyish; - of people, or groups; as, a tough neighborhood; a tough character.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Written or printed rather than stored in electronic media
sent the information by hard mail.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
A person who is tough{7}; a ruffian; a thug; as, a cluster of neighborhood toughs hanging out on the corner.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing
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◉Hard
Containing dissolved salts that interfere with the lathering action of soap or other cleansing agents. Used of water.
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◉Hard
(Linguistics) Velar, as in c in cake or g in log, as opposed to palatal or soft.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution;
a rugged competitive examination
the rugged conditions of frontier life
the competition was tough
it's a tough life
it was a tough job
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
substantially made or constructed;
sturdy steel shelves
sturdy canvas
a tough all-weather fabric
some plastics are as tough as metal
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Extremely or dangerously addictive. Used of certain illegal drugs, such as heroin.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough' is occasionally used colloquially for `bad');
my throat feels bad
she felt bad all over
he was feeling tough after a restless night
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
With strenuous effort; intently
worked hard all day.
stared hard at the accused criminal.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
In such a way as to cause great damage or hardship
industrial cities hit hard by unemployment.
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May 03, 2023
◉Tough
Able to withstand strain and adversity.
The soldier had a tough spirit.
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Sep 15, 2023
◉Hard
Toward or into a solid condition
concrete that sets hard within a day.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Near in space or time; close
The factory stands hard by the railroad tracks.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
(of material or fluid) Having a severe property; presenting difficulty.
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◉Hard
Resistant to pressure.
This bread is so stale and hard, I can barely cut it.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
(of a normally nonalcoholic drink) Containing alcohol.
hard cider, hard lemonade, hard seltzer, hard soda
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◉Hard
(of water) High in dissolved chemical salts, especially those of calcium.
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◉Hard
Having the capability of being a permanent magnet by being a material with high magnetic coercivity (compare soft).
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◉Hard
(personal or social) Having a severe property; presenting difficulty.
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◉Hard
Difficult or requiring a lot of effort to do, understand, experience, or deal with.
a hard problem;
a hard question;
a hard topic
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Severe, harsh, unfriendly, brutal.
a hard master;
a hard heart;
hard words;
a hard character
The senator asked the party chief to put the hard word on his potential rivals.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
(of a road intersection) Having a comparatively larger or a ninety-degree angle.
At the intersection, there are two roads going to the left. Take the hard left.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Sexually aroused; having an erect penis.
I got so hard watching two hot girls wrestle each other on the beach.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
(bodybuilding) Having muscles that are tightened as a result of intense, regular exercise.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Rigid in the drawing or distribution of the figures; formal; lacking grace of composition.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
In a physical form, not digital.
a soft or hard copy; a digital or hard archive
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◉Hard
Using a manual or physical process, not by means of a software command.
a hard reboot or reset
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◉Hard
(finance) Of a market: having more demand than supply; being a seller's market.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
(manner) With much force or effort.
He hit the puck hard up the ice.
They worked hard all week.
At the intersection, bear hard left.
The recession hit them especially hard.
Think hard about your choices.
The couple were fucking each other hard.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
A firm or paved beach or slope convenient for hauling vessels out of the water.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
A tyre whose compound is softer than superhards, and harder than mediums.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Not easily penetrated, cut, or separated into parts; not yielding to pressure; firm; solid; compact; - applied to material bodies, and opposed to soft; as, hard wood; hard flesh; a hard apple.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Difficult, mentally or judicially; not easily apprehended, decided, or resolved; as a hard problem.
The hard causes they brought unto Moses.
In which are some things hard to be understood.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Difficult to accomplish; full of obstacles; laborious; fatiguing; arduous; as, a hard task; a disease hard to cure.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Difficult to resist or control; powerful.
The stag was too hard for the horse.
A power which will be always too hard for them.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Difficult to bear or endure; not easy to put up with or consent to; hence, severe; rigorous; oppressive; distressing; unjust; grasping; as, a hard lot; hard times; hard fare; a hard winter; hard conditions or terms.
I never could drive a hard bargain.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Difficult to please or influence; stern; unyielding; obdurate; unsympathetic; unfeeling; cruel; as, a hard master; a hard heart; hard words; a hard character.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Not easy or agreeable to the taste; harsh; stiff; rigid; ungraceful; repelling; as, a hard style.
Figures harder than even the marble itself.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Abrupt or explosive in utterance; not aspirated, sibilated, or pronounced with a gradual change of the organs from one position to another; - said of certain consonants, as c in came, and g in go, as distinguished from the same letters in center, general, etc.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Rigid in the drawing or distribution of the figures; formal; lacking grace of composition.
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◉Hard
With pressure; with urgency; hence, diligently; earnestly.
And prayed so hard for mercy from the prince.
My fatherIs hard at study; pray now, rest yourself.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
With tension or strain of the powers; violently; with force; tempestuously; vehemently; vigorously; energetically; as, to press, to blow, to rain hard; hence, rapidly; nimbly; as, to run hard.
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure;
a difficult task
nesting places on the cliffs are difficult of access
difficult times
a difficult child
found himself in a difficult situation
why is it so hard for you to keep a secret?
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
metaphorically hard;
a hard fate
took a hard look
a hard bargainer
a hard climb
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
very strong or vigorous;
strong winds
a hard left to the chin
a knockout punch
a severe blow
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort;
worked their arduous way up the mining valley
a grueling campaign
hard labor
heavy work
heavy going
spent many laborious hours on the project
set a punishing pace
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
of a drinker or drinking; indulging intemperately;
does a lot of hard drinking
a heavy drinker
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
with effort or force or vigor;
the team played hard
worked hard all day
pressed hard on the lever
hit the ball hard
slammed the door hard
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
earnestly or intently;
thought hard about it
stared hard at the accused
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
causing great damage or hardship;
industries hit hard by the depression
she was severely affected by the bank's failure
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
very near or close in space or time;
it stands hard by the railroad tracks
they were hard on his heels
a strike followed hard upon the plant's opening
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
to the full extent possible; all the way;
hard alee
the ship went hard astern
swung the wheel hard left
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May 03, 2023
◉Hard
Requiring a lot of effort or endurance.
He's been working hard for his finals.
Jonathan
Sep 15, 2023
Tough vs. Hard Frequently Asked Questions
Is it correct to say a tough rock or a hard challenge?
Yes, but "tough rock" is uncommon. "Hard challenge" is widely accepted.
Leo
Feb 04, 2024
Which word implies a higher degree of difficulty?
Both can denote difficulty, but hard often indicates a higher intensity.
Muazma Batool
Feb 04, 2024
How does tough relate to emotions?
It often means resilience or ability to endure emotional challenges.
Muneeza Rehman
Feb 04, 2024
How is tough different from hard in texture?
Tough implies resilience while hard means solid and rigid.
Muazma Batool
Feb 04, 2024
Is a hard person always insensitive?
Not necessarily, but it often implies a lack of emotion or warmth.
William
Feb 04, 2024
Which word is more versatile in English?
Both are versatile, but "hard" has broader applications in different contexts.
Lucas
Feb 04, 2024
Can both words be used for emotional contexts?
Yes, a person can be tough (resilient) or have a hard (insensitive) heart.
Muneeza Rehman
Feb 04, 2024
Can I use tough and hard interchangeably?
Sometimes, but not always. Context is key.
Muneeza Rehman
Feb 04, 2024
Which word is more suitable for describing materials like metal?
Hard, as it implies rigidity.
Levi
Feb 04, 2024
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