Meaning of tough love | Babel Free

Definitions

The compassionate use of stringent disciplinary measures, to attempt to improve someone's behavior.

idiomatic, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“[H]e found himself surrounded by a circle of caring friends and relatives who told him one by one that they loved him but could not continue⟳ to live⟳ with him or be his friend the way he was. As one of his closest friends recalled, it was a show⟳ of tough love⟳.”

“[W]hen it came to Latin America's economic travails, Bush adhered to the principle of tough love⟳: no more bailouts.”

“And she offers tough love⟳: “There are no ugly women in the world, just lazy ones,” she says during a “Mind⟳ Your Manners” hygiene lesson in which she instructs her students to smell⟳ their used dental floss to find⟳ out if they have⟳ bad breath.”

“Trump surmised: Yes, we might have⟳ our internal squabbles, but I am bringing tough love⟳ because we are all in this together. We are the standard bearers of western civilisation.”

CEFR level