Definition of "toughie" [toughie]

• Informal A thug; a tough. (noun)
• Informal A difficult problem. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "You conclude, so it appears, that ANYONE who "appears vociferous" online is a "toughie" who"
• "And she is the kind of toughie who could be a real Iron Lady type with the Russians and Iranians."
• "It's a toughie and the themes were way over my head back then."