a tough plan

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a tough plan" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a plan that is difficult to execute or implement, often due to its complexity or the challenges involved. Example: "The team devised a tough plan to tackle the project, knowing it would require significant effort and resources."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The president has wrecked the UN and he's wrecked the possibility of a tough plan to control global warming.

Huffington Post

Dear Bill, Yesterday, in response to the end of the Copenhagen negotiations, you issued a press release with 350.org titled "The President has wrecked the UN (and the planet)," in which you wrote: "The president has wrecked the U.N. and he's wrecked the possibility of a tough plan to control global warming.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

"We've always had a tough planning board that fought to keep out large developments with cookie-cutter homes," explained Mayor Emilia M. Siciliano.

The New York Times

This will be a tough planning challenge for national and local government, against a background of spending constraints and growing numbers of schools moving outside of local education authority control.

BBC

But critics saw the proposal as a watered down version of a tougher plan that was blocked last week.

The New York Times

But it is possible that President Obama already has a tougher plan in place in the Persian Gulf than Mitt Romney is imagining.

The New York Times

But several economists said the package was little more than a vague and watered-down version of a tougher plan blocked last week by bankers, bureaucrats and parliamentarians.

The New York Times

Even before the soldiers' deaths, which for Israel represented the worst one-day toll in the weeks of violence, the nation's security apparatus drew up a tougher plan to quell the violence.

The New York Times

"The Greek Parliament has just adopted a very tough plan," he said.

The New York Times

The Labour government of 2007 set a target of 240,000 new homes by 2016, but a cocktail of a rigorous recession, tough planning laws and a lack of available land has left the market short and sent prices spiralling.

Independent

"I think that's a tough game plan for the Republicans to pursue, whether its February of 2009 or October of 2010".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing governmental or organizational strategies, use "a tough plan" to convey seriousness and commitment to addressing difficult issues.

Common error

Avoid using "a tough plan" in casual conversation; opt for more appropriate alternatives like "difficult" or "challenging" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a tough plan" functions as a noun phrase where "tough" modifies the noun "plan". It is typically used to describe a strategy or course of action that is difficult to execute but necessary or desirable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a tough plan" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to describe a challenging strategy. As Ludwig AI confirms, its primary function is to convey seriousness and commitment, particularly in contexts such as news and media. While suitable for professional and informative settings, avoid overusing "tough" in casual conversations, opting instead for alternatives like "difficult" or "challenging" to maintain a natural tone. When employed judiciously, "a tough plan" effectively communicates the rigorous nature of a proposed course of action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a challenging strategy

Replaces 'tough' with 'challenging' and 'plan' with 'strategy', emphasizing the difficulty aspect.

a rigorous scheme

Substitutes 'tough' with 'rigorous' and 'plan' with 'scheme', highlighting strictness and structure.

a demanding proposal

Changes 'tough' to 'demanding' and 'plan' to 'proposal', focusing on the high expectations involved.

a stringent program

Replaces 'tough' with 'stringent' and 'plan' with 'program', underscoring strict compliance.

a difficult project

Changes the noun to 'project', emphasizing the effort needed.

a severe measure

Replaces 'tough' with 'severe' and 'plan' with 'measure', indicating strictness and seriousness.

a strict course of action

Highlights the need for adherence to the prescribed procedures.

a complicated process

Emphasizes the complex nature of the outlined steps.

an ambitious undertaking

Highlights the scope and scale of the effort.

a painstaking approach

Focuses on the care and dedication required for its execution.

FAQs

How can I use "a tough plan" in a sentence?

You can use "a tough plan" to describe a strategy or course of action that is difficult or demanding. For example: "The government implemented "a tough plan" to reduce the national debt."

What are some alternatives to saying "a tough plan"?

Alternatives include phrases like "a challenging strategy", "a rigorous scheme", or "a demanding proposal", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "a difficult plan" or "a tough plan"?

Both "a difficult plan" and "a tough plan" are grammatically correct, but ""a tough plan"" often implies a sense of resilience and determination in the face of adversity, while "a difficult plan" simply emphasizes the challenge.

What makes "a tough plan" different from "a simple plan"?

"A tough plan" suggests significant challenges and requires substantial effort to implement, while "a simple plan" implies ease of understanding and execution.