1 C1 idiomatic neutral
to endure a difficult period, condition, or experience until it is over
"The small business managed to tough out the recession."
inseparable
tough out
C1 neutral inseparable transitive
to endure something difficult until it ends
In plain English
get through something hard by staying strong
What does "tough out" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to stay tough through something until the end
Actually means
get through something hard by staying strong
Usage tip
Less common than 'tough it out'. Often followed by a noun phrase such as 'the season' or 'the last few weeks'.
Words that pair with "tough out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
season days stretch injury crisis months
How to conjugate "tough out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
tough out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
toughs out
he/she/it
Past simple
toughed out
yesterday
Past participle
toughed out
have + pp
-ing form
toughing out
continuous
Hear "tough out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "tough out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "tough out"
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Keep exploring
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