1
as in strengthening
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hardening
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 stiffening
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
attempts to toughen conditions under which waivers from military service would be permitted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toughening
Verb
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In late 2025, underwater archaeologists working in Lake Issyk-Kul reported a major breakthrough at the Toru-Aygyr complex, strengthening the case for a true medieval city rather than a minor outpost.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026 -
If breakage or dryness have your strands in disarray, the right formula can support strengthening strands and improving scalp conditions.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Glamour,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Propose a clear boundary with a sibling (or close friend) to stop resentment from hardening.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Jan. 2026
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Those upgrades involve hardening vulnerable infrastructure, improving outage detection and restoration, and preparing the grid for increasingly extreme weather.—
Chaya Tong,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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About the setup In this baseball setup, the robots use soft joints and adaptive control systems to avoid breaking or stiffening up on impact.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Nov. 2025
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Look for signs like the cat stopping purring, stiffening, thrashing their tail, or hissing.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Toughening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toughening. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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