tough guy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Steve’s a good kid. He made a bad decision. But if you want to be a tough guy, you need to do it during the game, for a blockout, for a rebound,” said Cronin afterward.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth really wants you to think he’s a tough guy.

From Salon • Dec. 3, 2025

"It is possible, but extremely unlikely, Cuomo can catch Mamdani," said Lincoln Mitchell, a political science professor at Columbia University, saying the former governor's "tough guy persona" dates from another era.

From Barron's • Oct. 25, 2025

Adding Morris, one of the NBA’s true tough guy truth-tellers, has bolstered their locker room, a behind-the-scenes advantage that the Lakers have desperately lacked.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2025

I would never have described Volpe as a tough guy.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove