tough-guy
Swagger and scowl
Tough-guy describes someone who projects strength, aggression, or fearlessness—or the affectation of these qualities.
It usually modifies nouns: tough-guy persona, tough-guy act, tough-guy posturing.
The term often implies performance rather than genuine toughness: He dropped the tough-guy routine when the cops showed up.
Overly masculine manner
- swaggerConfident, boastful manner
- bravadoPretense of fearlessness
- posturingInsincere behavior for effect
- blusterLoud, empty boasting
machismo · alpha · intimidation · chest-puffing · showboating · peacocking · front · facade
Violent criminal
- goonEnforcer or simpleton
- muscleContractile body tissue
- bouncerVenue entrance enforcer
- bodyguardPaid personal security agent
bruiser · heavy · racketeer · leg-breaker · collector · hood · wiseguy · capo
macho
Overly masculine manner
- swaggerConfident, boastful manner
- bravadoPretense of fearlessness
- posturingInsincere behavior for effect
bluster · machismo · alpha · intimidation · chest-puffing · showboating · peacocking · front · facade · attitude
thug
Violent criminal
bodyguard · bruiser · heavy · racketeer · leg-breaker · collector · hood · wiseguy · capo · yakuza
loner
One who avoids company
rugged · steely · gritty · hardboiled · hardened · streetwise · scarred · weathered · jaded · cynical
Stallone
Italian-American action film actor
- SchwarzeneggerAustrian bodybuilder politician
- WillisCommon English surname
- StathamBritish action film actor
Bronson · Van Damme · one-liner · explosions · muscles · gunfight · vigilante · antihero · badass · Eastwood
tough-guysoftie
Tenderhearted person
softy · crybaby · bleeding heart · sentimentalist · pushover
tough-guyweakling
Feeble person
wimp · pushover · milquetoast · doormat · shrinking violet
tough-guynice guy
Pleasant, considerate person
mama's boy · gentleman · metrosexual · dandy · fop
tough, toughness, toughen, strongman, tougher, toughie, toughest, toughened, toughening