1 C1 idiomatic slang
To persevere through hardship or adversity with toughness and street-level resilience.
"The team was down by ten points but decided to thug it out until the final whistle."
inseparable
thug it out
C1 slang inseparable intransitive
To endure or persevere through a difficult situation with toughness and determination.
In plain English
To stay strong and not give up when things are really hard.
What does "thug it out" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) slang that entered broader informal usage, particularly in sports commentary and social media. 'Thug' here does not carry its criminal connotation but rather means tough or resilient. Usage can be controversial due to the word's associations; more common among younger speakers in the United States.
Words that pair with "thug it out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
season game situation adversity hard times challenge
How to conjugate "thug it out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
thug it out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
thugs it out
he/she/it
Past simple
thuged it out
yesterday
Past participle
thuged it out
have + pp
-ing form
thuging it out
continuous
Hear "thug it out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "thug it out"
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