What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Tough vs Flexible - What's the difference?

tough | flexible |

As adjectives the difference between tough and flexible

is that tough is strong and resilient; sturdy while flexible is capable of being flexed or bent without breaking; able to be turned, bowed, or twisted, without breaking; pliable; not stiff or brittle.

As nouns the difference between tough and flexible

is that tough is a person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully while flexible is (chiefly|engineering|and|manufacturing) something that is flexible.

As an interjection tough

is (slang) (used to indicate lack of sympathy).

As a verb tough

is to endure.

tough

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Strong and resilient; sturdy.
    • The tent, made of tough canvas, held up to many abuses.
  • (of food) Difficult to cut or chew.
    • To soften a tough cut of meat, the recipe suggested simmering it for hours.
  • Rugged or physically hardy.
    • Only a tough species will survive in the desert.
  • Stubborn.
    • He had a reputation as a tough negotiator.
  • (of weather etc) Harsh or severe.
  • Rowdy or rough.
    • A bunch of the tough boys from the wrong side of the tracks threatened him.
  • Difficult or demanding.
    • This is a tough crowd.
  • (material science) Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking.

    • Derived terms

    * do it tough * hang tough * supertough * tough call * tough case * tough cookie * tough crowd * tough love * tough luck * tough-minded * tough nut to crack * tough row to hoe * tough shit * tough titty * tough toodles * tough tuchus * toughen * toughie * toughish * toughly * toughness * toughy * ultratough *

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (slang) (Used to indicate lack of sympathy)
    • If you don't like it, tough !

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • 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.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To endure.
  • To toughen.

    • Derived terms

    * tough it out * tough out

    Anagrams

    * ----

    flexible

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Capable of being flexed or bent without breaking; able to be turned, bowed, or twisted, without breaking; pliable; not stiff or brittle.
    • When the splitting wind Makes flexible the knees of knotted oaks. -
  • Willing or ready to yield to the influence of others; not invincibly rigid or obstinate; tractable; manageable; ductile; easy and compliant; wavering.
    • Phocion was a man of great severity, and no ways flexible to the will of the people. - .
    Women are soft, mild, pitiful, and flexible . -
  • Capable or being adapted or molded; plastic,; as, a flexible language.
    • This was a principle more flexible to their purpose. -Rogers.

    Synonyms

    * bendsome * ductile * inconstant * manageable * obsequious * pliant * pliable * supple * tractable * wavering

    Derived terms

    * flexibly * flexibleness

    Related terms

    * flexibility * inflexible

    See also

    * foldable

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (chiefly, engineering, and, manufacturing) Something that is flexible.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2009, date=August 19, author=Terry McCrann, title=Win-win deal for the times, work=Herald Sun citation
    • , passage=Alcan is mostly flexibles -- and so it boosts Amcor's flexible packaging business to a globally significant $7 billion one. }}

    References

    * * (flexible) * (flexibility) ----