tough call
Difficult decision ahead
A tough call is a difficult decision where the right choice isn't clear.
The phrase comes from sports officiating, where referees make calls on close plays: It was a tough call, but they ruled him out of bounds.
Now used broadly for any hard judgment: Choosing between the two candidates was a tough call.
- toss-upOutcome with equal chances
- hardFirm or demanding
- coin tossRandom two-outcome selection
- split decisionNon-unanimous judicial outcome
- difficultRequiring much effort
challenging · trade-off · lesser evil · decision · predicament · on the fence · alternative · choice · debate · option · uncertainty · deliberation · gray area · ambiguity · balance · dilemma · resolution · crossroads
- judgment callsjudgment, verdict, ruling, determination, final say
- decisionschoice, make a decision, choices, yes, no
- hardshipshardship, adversity, struggle, misfortune, difficulties
- choiceschoice, choose, decide, decision, select
- dilemmasdilemma, moral dilemma, ethical dilemma, lesser evil, crossroads
- predicamentspredicament, dilemma, bind, pickle, pinch
tough callno-brainer
Self-evident decision
slam dunk · foregone conclusion · piece of cake · walk in the park · no contest
tough callobvious
Easily perceived, unmistakable
clear-cut · black and white · straightforward · self-evident · open and shut
tough, call, tougher, toughest, toughly, toughness, toughen, toughened, toughening