tough love

noun

: love or affectionate concern expressed in a stern or unsentimental manner (as through discipline) especially to promote responsible behavior

Examples of tough love in a Sentence

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That tough love must have paid off as Saunders seems to be thriving during this current season of his life. —

Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 7 Feb. 2025 Gordon Ramsay has some tough love for the owner of a New Orleans restaurateur who's preparing to serve hundreds of guests during the Super Bowl this year. —

Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025 Bass missed a 51-yard kick during the game, which led head coach Sean McDermott to declare that the team needed to have that kick — the first sign of public tough love the Bills have issued to Bass since the end of last season. —

Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 28 Aug. 2024 Specifying tone, such as tough love or empathy, aligns the messages with the individual's preferred coaching style. —

Tor Constantino, Mba, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for tough love