tough pitch: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumNeutral to informal
Quick answer
What does “tough pitch” mean?
A difficult or challenging playing field or sales presentation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A difficult or challenging playing field or sales presentation.
Can refer to any situation that is hard to navigate, often in sports or business contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'pitch' primarily refers to a sports field (e.g., football, cricket), while in American English, it often means a sales talk or baseball field.
Connotations
British: more sports-oriented; American: more business or baseball-oriented.
Frequency
More common in British English in sports contexts; in American English, used in business or casual speech.
Grammar
How to Use “tough pitch” in a Sentence
NP be ADJ (e.g., The pitch is tough)V NP (e.g., They faced a tough pitch)ADJ NP (e.g., a tough pitch to handle)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tough pitch” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They will pitch the tent near the tough pitch.
- He pitched the idea brilliantly.
American English
- She pitched the product to a tough crowd.
- He pitched a no-hitter on a tough pitch.
adverb
British English
- He played toughly on the pitch.
- She argued toughly during the pitch.
American English
- They negotiated toughly in the pitch meeting.
- He ran toughly across the pitch.
adjective
British English
- The weather made the pitch tough.
- It was a tough pitch to play on.
American English
- The decision was tough, given the pitch.
- They faced tough pitch conditions.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a difficult sales or investor presentation.
Academic
Might describe a challenging research proposal or lecture.
Everyday
Commonly used for a hard-to-play sports field or a tough situation.
Technical
In sports science, refers to pitch conditions affecting performance.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “tough pitch”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “tough pitch”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tough pitch”
- Using 'tough pitch' to mean a strong throw (incorrect context).
- Overusing in formal writing where 'difficult situation' is preferred.
- Confusing 'pitch' with 'patch' in spelling.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but with different primary connotations: sports in British English, business or baseball in American English.
Yes, it can metaphorically refer to any challenging situation, not just physical fields or presentations.
In both British and American English, it is pronounced /tʌf pɪtʃ/, with 'tough' rhyming with 'rough' and 'pitch' like 'witch'.
Yes, such as 'a hard row to hoe' (American) or 'a sticky wicket' (British) for difficult situations.
A difficult or challenging playing field or sales presentation.
Tough pitch is usually neutral to informal in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a tough pitch to hit”
- “on a sticky wicket (British)”
- “a hard sell (American)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'tough' as strong and hard, and 'pitch' as where you play or present, so a tough pitch is like a rocky field or a hard talk.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHALLENGES ARE OBSTACLES ON A PATH OR FIELD.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common meaning of 'tough pitch'?