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Strict vs Tough - What's the difference?

strict | tough |

Tough is a synonym of strict.

Tough is a antonym of strict.



As adjectives the difference between strict and tough

is that strict is strained; drawn close; tight while tough is strong and resilient; sturdy.

As an interjection tough is

Used to indicate lack of sympathy

As a noun tough is

a person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.

As a verb tough is

to endure.

strict

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Strained; drawn close; tight.
    • strict embrace
    strict ligature
  • Tense; not relaxed.
    • strict fiber
  • Exact; accurate; precise; rigorously nice.
    • to keep strict watch
    to pay strict attention
  • Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
    • , title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict  ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts.}}
    very strict in observing the Sabbath
  • Rigidly interpreted; exactly limited; confined; restricted.
    • to understand words in a strict sense
  • (botany) Upright, or straight and narrow; — said of the shape of the plants or their flower clusters.
  • Severe in discipline.

    • Usage notes

    * Stricter'' and ''strictest'' are the grammatically correct forms for the comparative and superlative though outside UK ''more strict'' and ''most strict are more often used.

    Antonyms

    * lenient * lax * permissive

    Related terms

    * stricture * stringent * strain

    External links

    * * ----

    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

    * ----