1
as in to strengthen
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
weight lifting will help toughen those flabby muscles of yours
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to harden
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
hiking every morning through snow and ice toughened him considerably
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stiffen
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
attempts to toughen conditions under which waivers from military service would be permitted
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of toughen
As the first Egyptian astronaut—and the first Arab and African woman in space—her career has been shaped by brutally early mornings, periods of total isolation, and even digital detoxes from social media to toughen her mental focus.
—
Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
The schedule toughens after next week at Carolina, and now with Hill lost?
—Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Sunny Hills’ schedule will toughen in the Lambda League but the Lancers are progressing.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025
The European Commission president promised to toughen efforts against Russia and hold Israel to account over its war in Gaza, in an annual speech that focused on defense and security.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toughen
Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
The schedule toughens after next week at Carolina, and now with Hill lost?
—Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Sunny Hills’ schedule will toughen in the Lambda League but the Lancers are progressing.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025
The European Commission president promised to toughen efforts against Russia and hold Israel to account over its war in Gaza, in an annual speech that focused on defense and security.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toughen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toughen
Verb
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The Dallas Cowboys have made some head-scratching moves in 2025 dating back to the preseason, which have both strengthened the interior of the defensive line but also added confusion about the future of the unit.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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The initiative’s foundation addresses the problem of inconsistent and burdensome reporting by engaging the industry to define an optional (and non-exhaustive) questionnaire aimed at strengthening data quality and consistency while significantly reducing the administrative burden on suppliers.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In the wake of those bills, the far-right Tea Party movement helped harden Republican opposition to Obama and Democrats more broadly, and Democrats saw major losses in the 2010 midterm elections that relegated Democrats to the minority and ended Pelosi's first run as speaker.—
NPR,
NPR,
6 Nov. 2025
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Soft power that hardens into partnerships, pipelines, and actual policy shifts.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The light stiffens and grabs hold of us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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In real materials, large angles that could create bigger matrix weights also stiffen the input path, reducing motion at the output.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toughen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toughen. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.
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