1 B2 idiomatic neutral
to remain in a painful, uncomfortable, or difficult situation without quitting or complaining much
"We decided to tough it out until the roads reopened."
inseparable
tough it out
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
to endure a difficult situation until it ends
In plain English
stay strong and get through something hard
What does "tough it out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
to continue despite illness, tiredness, or physical discomfort
"He tried to tough it out at work instead of going home sick."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to behave in a tough way through a situation until it is over
Actually means
stay strong and get through something hard
Usage tip
Fixed expression with dummy object 'it'. Common in spoken English for illness, discomfort, bad weather, or hardship.
Words that pair with "tough it out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
pain winter storm injury rough patch season
How to conjugate "tough it out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
tough it out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
toughs it out
he/she/it
Past simple
toughed it out
yesterday
Past participle
toughed it out
have + pp
-ing form
toughing it out
continuous
Hear "tough it out" in the wild
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