Delicate and Tough

Delicate

Delicate adjective - Easily broken.
Usage example: delicate glassware that must be carefully wrapped for shipping

Tough is an antonym for delicate in topics: dainty, sickly.

Nearby Words: delicacy, delicately

Tough

Tough adjective - Able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure.
Usage example: this is a tough plant that easily withstands harsh winters

Delicate is an antonym for tough in topics: sturdy, obstinate, difficult.

Nearby Words: toughness, toughen, toughening, tougher, toughed

Both words in one sentence

  • Men Are Tough Wouldn't Hit a Girl: Because he's tough and she's delicate, a real man refuses to hit a woman, no matter the reason.
    Source: Men Are Tough
  • Men Are Tough Guys Are Slobs: Guys have no manners because they are tough instead of delicate.
    Source: Men Are Tough
  • Women Are Delicate Vasquez Always Dies: The less delicate/more tough a woman is, the more likely she is to die/be killed by someone.
Cite this Source
Tough and Delicate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/delicate/tough
Delicate & Tough. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/delicate/tough>.
Tough or Delicate. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/delicate/tough.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "delicate" and "tough" have occurred on timeline