much more tough

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "much more tough" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "much tougher" as "tough" is an adjective that should be in its comparative form when making comparisons. Example: "This new training program is much tougher than the previous one."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"Having had a childhood like the one I had, I was much more tough than a lot of people.

The New York Times

The latter is much more tough and honest: we see a cheap iron bedstead supporting a naked prostitute whose face is in shadow.

BBC

Senator Chuck Grassley, who voted against the Senate bill, said he was counting on the House to pass legislation that is "much more tough".

BBC

The fact of the matter is that fights occur, and it is much more "tough", and infinitely more mature, to simply "walk away".

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Much more than "tough," that law -- now largely tied up in court -- is the essence of systematic racial profiling.

Huffington Post

Much more fun than tough, slow chess".

The New Yorker

However, they were much more supportive of tough action against the Japanese, who were already occupying half of China, and now plunging into Indochina.

Independent

For twenty-four overwrought minutes, Christie spoke, proudly, glowingly, about the subject that really gets him fired up, which is himself — how he always faces the hard truths; how he wants to be respected more than loved; how, of his two parents, he's much more like his tough, brutally honest Sicilian mother ("I am her son!") than like his good-hearted, lovable Irish father.

The New Yorker

In addition, the material stiffness is related to the length of sulfur bridges, and monosulfur connections lead to a much more rigid and tough material.

Nanoscale Research Letters

But most of those games are car-based, which means that the controls are often much more 'twitchy' and tough to control.

TechCrunch

While the first disc focuses on his tougher public persona—"If just you want to tear your speakers up, I got you," the rapper told the hosts the second is much more transparent, tackling tough subjects like anxiety and depression.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the comparative form "tougher" when comparing the toughness of two or more things. For example, "This material is "much more tough"" should be "This material is "much tougher"".

Common error

Avoid using the base adjective "tough" after "much more" when you intend to show a comparison. The correct form is the comparative adjective "tougher". For instance, instead of saying "He became "much more tough" after the training", say "He became "much tougher" after the training".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "much more tough" attempts to function as an intensifier modifying an adjective, but it fails due to incorrect grammatical form. Ludwig AI indicates that the grammatically correct form is "much tougher".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "much more tough" might appear in various sources, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates that the correct form is "much tougher". The intended meaning is to express a higher degree of resilience or difficulty. Use alternatives such as "significantly tougher" or "considerably harder" to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity. Always use the comparative form of the adjective when making comparisons.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly tougher

Replaces "much more" with "significantly" and uses the correct comparative form of "tough".

considerably harder

Substitutes "tough" with "harder", which is a more common and grammatically sound alternative.

substantially more rigid

Replaces "tough" with "rigid", focusing on inflexibility or stiffness instead of resilience.

appreciably more difficult

Changes "tough" to "difficult", highlighting the increased challenge or complexity.

markedly stronger

Replaces "tough" with "stronger", emphasizing physical or metaphorical strength.

noticeably firmer

Substitutes "tough" with "firmer", implying a greater degree of solidity or resistance.

distinctly more resilient

Replaces "tough" with "resilient", emphasizing the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.

decidedly more unyielding

Changes "tough" to "unyielding", focusing on inflexibility and resistance to pressure.

considerably more challenging

Substitutes "tough" with "challenging", highlighting the increase in difficulty or demanding nature.

substantially more durable

Replaces "tough" with "durable", focusing on the ability to withstand wear, pressure, or damage.

FAQs

How do I correctly use "much more" with adjectives like tough?

When using "much more" to describe an adjective like tough, use the comparative form "tougher". The correct phrase is "much tougher".

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "much more tough"?

A grammatically correct alternative is "much tougher". Other alternatives include "significantly harder" or "considerably more difficult".

Is "much more tough" the same as "much tougher"?

No, "much more tough" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "much tougher", which implies a higher degree of toughness.

When should I use "much tougher" instead of "much more tough"?

Always use "much tougher" when you want to express a higher degree of toughness compared to something else. "Much more tough" is not grammatically correct.