toughen

verb

tough·​en ˈtə-fən How to pronounce toughen (audio)
toughened; toughening ˈtə-fə-niŋ How to pronounce toughen (audio)
ˈtəf-niŋ

intransitive verb

: to become tough

Examples of toughen in a Sentence

The government is toughening antidrug laws. weight lifting will help toughen those flabby muscles of yours
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The state has determined that the grading scale for high schools may be too easy, since 82% of all high schools received an A or a B. Under state law, the grading scale must be toughened if more than 75% of schools in a particular category receive A’s and B’s. Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 12 July 2025 Advertisement Still, both sides have toughened their positions on certain key issues. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 7 July 2025 The death of Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Henderson sparked an Ohio Republican senator to introduce a bill to toughen penalties for anyone found guilty of assault on a federal officer. Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025 Nike had predicted that its fiscal fourth quarter would be the low point of its turnaround but conditions have toughened since, though Friend confirmed in Nike’s earning release that headwinds are expected to moderate moving forward. Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for toughen

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of toughen was in 1582

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Cite this Entry

“Toughen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toughen. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

toughen

verb
tough·​en ˈtəf-ən How to pronounce toughen (audio)
toughened; toughening ˈtəf-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce toughen (audio)
: to make or become tough

More from Merriam-Webster on toughen

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