Soft vs. Tough — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Soft and Tough
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Compare with Definitions
Soft
Easy to mould, cut, compress, or fold; not hard or firm to the touch
The ground was soft beneath their feet
Soft margarine
Tough
(of a substance or object) strong enough to withstand adverse conditions or rough handling
Tough rucksacks for climbers
Soft
Having a pleasing quality involving a subtle effect or contrast rather than sharp definition
The moon's pale light cast soft shadows
The soft glow of the lamps
Tough
Able to endure hardship or pain
She was as tough as old boots
Soft
Sympathetic, lenient, or compassionate, especially to a degree perceived as excessive; not strict or sufficiently strict
Julia's soft heart was touched by his grief
The government is not becoming soft on crime
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Tough
Demonstrating a strict and uncompromising approach
Police have been getting tough with drivers
Tough new laws on tobacco advertising
Soft
(of a drink) not alcoholic.
Tough
Strong and prone to violence
Tough young teenagers
Soft
(of a market, currency, or commodity) falling or likely to fall in value
Now a new factor looms: soft oil prices
The rouble, so soft that it buys nothing worth having
Tough
A rough and violent man
A gang of toughs
Soft
(of water) containing relatively low concentrations of dissolved calcium and magnesium salts and therefore lathering easily with soap
You use only half as much soap when you clean with soft water
Tough
Endure a period of hardship or difficulty.
Soft
Foolish; silly
He must be going soft in the head
Tough
Able to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking; strong and resilient
A tough all-weather fabric.
Soft
(of a consonant) pronounced as a fricative (as c in ice).
Tough
Hard to cut or chew
Tough meat.
Soft
In a quiet or gentle way
I can just speak soft and she'll hear me
Tough
Physically hardy; rugged
Tough mountaineers.
A tough cop.
Soft
In a weak or foolish way
Don't talk soft
Tough
Strong-minded; resolute
A tough negotiator.
Soft
Yielding readily to pressure or weight
A soft melon.
A soft pillow.
Tough
Aggressive; pugnacious.
Soft
Easily molded, cut, or worked
Soft wood.
Tough
Inclined to violent or disruptive behavior; rowdy or rough
A tough street group.
Soft
(Sports) Not tense and therefore capable of absorbing the impact of a ball or puck and of catching, receiving, or controlling it
A receiver with soft hands.
Tough
Difficult to endure; severe; harsh
A tough winter.
Soft
Out of condition; flabby
Got soft sitting at a desk all day.
Tough
Trying or unpleasant
Had a tough day.
Soft
Smooth or fine to the touch
A soft fabric.
Soft fur.
Tough
Difficult to deal with; demanding or troubling
It's tough to go to school and work a full-time job. The exam had many tough questions.
Soft
Not loud, harsh, or irritating
A soft voice.
Tough
(Informal) Unfortunate; too bad
It was a tough break to get sick on the day of the concert.
Soft
Not brilliant or glaring; subdued
Soft colors.
Tough
(Slang) Fine; great.
Soft
Not sharply drawn or delineated
Soft charcoal shading.
A scene filmed in soft focus.
Tough
A violent or rowdy person; a hoodlum or thug.
Soft
Mild; balmy
A soft breeze.
Tough
(of a material) Strong and resilient; sturdy.
The tent, made of tough canvas, held up to many abuses.
Soft
Tender or affectionate
A soft glance.
Tough
(of food) Difficult to cut or chew.
To soften a tough cut of meat, the recipe suggested simmering it for hours.
Soft
Attracted or emotionally involved
He has been soft on her for years.
Tough
(of a person or animal) Rugged or physically hardy.
Only a tough species will survive in the desert.
Soft
Not stern; lenient
A coach who was soft on his players.
Tough
(of a person) Stubborn or persistent; capable of stubbornness or persistence.
He had a reputation as a tough negotiator.
Soft
Lacking strength of character; weak
Too soft for the pressure of being a spy.
Tough
(of weather, etc.) Harsh or severe.
Soft
(Informal) Simple-minded or foolish
He's soft in the head.
Tough
Rowdy or rough.
A bunch of the tough boys from the wrong side of the tracks threatened him.
Soft
Not demanding or difficult; easy
A soft job.
Tough
(of questions, etc.) Difficult or demanding.
This is a tough crowd.
Soft
Based on conciliation or compromise
Took a soft line toward their opponents.
Tough
(material science) Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking.
Soft
Gradually declining in trend; not firm
A soft economy.
A soft computer market.
Tough
(slang) Used to indicate lack of sympathy
If you don't like it, tough!
Soft
(Sports) Scored on a shot that the goalie should have blocked
A soft goal.
Tough
A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
They were doing fine until they encountered a bunch of toughs from the opposition.
Soft
Informal and entertaining without confronting difficult issues or hard facts
Limited the discussion to soft topics.
Tough
To endure.
Soft
Using or based on data that is not readily quantifiable or amenable to experimental verification or refutation
The lawyer downplayed the soft evidence.
Tough
To toughen.
Soft
Softcore.
Tough
Having the quality of flexibility without brittleness; yielding to force without breaking; capable of resisting great strain; as, the ligaments of animals are remarkably tough.
Soft
Being a turn in a specific direction at an angle less acute than other possible routes
A soft right.
Tough
Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong; - of objects and people; as, tough sinews.
A body made of brass, the crone demands, . . . Tough to the last, and with no toil to tire.
The basis of his character was caution combined with tough tenacity of purpose.
Soft
Of or relating to a paper currency as distinct from a hard currency backed by gold.
Tough
Not easily separated; viscous; clammy; tenacious; as, tough phlegm.
Soft
Having low dissolved mineral content
Soft water.
Tough
Stiff; rigid; not flexible; stubborn; as, a tough bow.
So tough a frame she could not bend.
Soft
Nonalcoholic.
Tough
Severe; violent; as, a tough storm.
Soft
Nonaddictive or mildly addictive. Used of certain drugs.
Tough
Difficult to do, perform, or accomplish; as, a tough job.
Soft
Having a low or lower power of penetration
Soft x-rays.
Tough
Prone to aggressive or violent behavior; rowdyish; - of people, or groups; as, a tough neighborhood; a tough character.
Soft
Sibilant rather than guttural, as c in certain and g in gem.
Tough
A person who is tough{7}; a ruffian; a thug; as, a cluster of neighborhood toughs hanging out on the corner.
Soft
Voiced and weakly articulated
A soft consonant.
Tough
Someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing
Soft
Palatalized, as certain consonants in Slavic languages.
Tough
An aggressive and violent young criminal
Soft
Unprotected against or vulnerable to attack
A soft target.
Tough
A cruel and brutal fellow
Soft
In a soft manner; gently.
Tough
Not given to gentleness or sentimentality;
A tough character
Soft
Easily yielding to pressure; easily impressed, molded, or cut; not firm in resisting; impressible; yielding; also, malleable; - opposed to hard; as, a soft bed; a soft peach; soft earth; soft wood or metal.
Tough
Very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution;
A rugged competitive examination
The rugged conditions of frontier life
The competition was tough
It's a tough life
It was a tough job
Soft
Not rough, rugged, or harsh to the touch; smooth; delicate; fine; as, soft silk; a soft skin.
They that wear soft clothing are in king's houses.
Tough
Physically toughened;
The tough bottoms of his feet
Soft
Hence, agreeable to feel, taste, or inhale; not irritating to the tissues; as, a soft liniment; soft wines.
Tough
Substantially made or constructed;
Sturdy steel shelves
Sturdy canvas
A tough all-weather fabric
Some plastics are as tough as metal
Soft
Not harsh or offensive to the sight; not glaring; pleasing to the eye; not exciting by intensity of color or violent contrast; as, soft hues or tints.
The sun, shining upon the upper part of the clouds . . . made the softest lights imaginable.
Tough
Violent and lawless;
The more ruffianly element
Tough street gangs
Soft
Not harsh or rough in sound; gentle and pleasing to the ear; flowing; as, soft whispers of music.
Her voice was ever soft,Gentle, and low, - an excellent thing in woman.
Soft were my numbers; who could take offense?
Tough
Feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough' is occasionally used colloquially for `bad');
My throat feels bad
She felt bad all over
He was feeling tough after a restless night
Soft
Easily yielding; susceptible to influence; flexible; gentle; kind.
I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward's;Or Edward's soft and pitiful, like mine.
The meek or soft shall inherit the earth.
Tough
Tough to cut or chew
Soft
Expressing gentleness, tenderness, or the like; mild; conciliatory; courteous; kind; as, soft eyes.
A soft answer turneth away wrath.
A face with gladness overspread,Soft smiles, by human kindness bred.
Tough
Unfortunate or hard to bear;
Had hard luck
A tough break
Soft
Effeminate; not courageous or manly, weak.
A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft, and wandering.
Soft
Gentle in action or motion; easy.
On her soft axle, white she paces even,And bears thee soft with the smooth air along.
Soft
Weak in character; impressible.
The deceiver soon found this soft place of Adam's.
Soft
Somewhat weak in intellect.
He made soft fellows stark noddies, and such as were foolish quite mad.
Soft
Quiet; undisturbed; paceful; as, soft slumbers.
Soft
Having, or consisting of, a gentle curve or curves; not angular or abrupt; as, soft outlines.
Soft
Not tinged with mineral salts; adapted to decompose soap; as, soft water is the best for washing.
Soft
Applied to a palatal, a sibilant, or a dental consonant (as g in gem, c in cent, etc.) as distinguished from a guttural mute (as g in go, c in cone, etc.); - opposed to hard.
Soft
A soft or foolish person; an idiot.
Soft
Softly; without roughness or harshness; gently; quietly.
A knight soft riding toward them.
Soft
Be quiet; hold; stop; not so fast.
Soft, you; a word or two before you go.
Soft
Lacking in hardness relatively or comparatively
Soft
Metaphorically soft;
My father is a soft touch
Soft light
A soft rain
A soft Southern drawl
Soft brown eyes
A soft glance
Soft
Of sound; relatively low in volume;
Soft voices
Soft music
Soft
Easily hurt;
Soft hands
A baby's delicate skin
Soft
Used chiefly as a direction or description in music;
The piano passages in the composition
Soft
Used of beverages; not containing alcohol;
Nonalcoholic beverages
Soft drinks
Soft
Of speech sounds; characterized by a hissing or hushing sound (as `s' and `sh')
Soft
Tolerant or lenient;
Indulgent parents risk spoiling their children
Procedures are lax and discipline is weak
Too soft on the children
Soft
Having little impact;
An easy pat on the shoulder
Gentle rain
A gentle breeze
A soft (or light) tapping at the window
Soft
Not burdensome or demanding; borne or done easily and without hardship;
What a cushy job!
A soft job
Soft
In a relaxed manner; or without hardship;
Just wanted to take it easy
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