1
as in strengthens
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
weight lifting will help toughen those flabby muscles of yours
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hardens
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
hiking every morning through snow and ice toughened him considerably
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stiffens
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
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Recent Examples of toughens
Senegal’s president signed a law Monday that toughens punishment for homosexuality in the latest African country to impose harsh penalties against the LGBTQ+ community.
—
Aleksandar Furtula, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Senegal 's parliament has approved a new bill that toughens punishment for homosexuality in the largely Muslim West African nation, the latest African country to impose harsh penalties against the LGBTQ+ community.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Iran’s president toughens tone Pezeshkian said Iran’s military response would only strengthen.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
Iran’s president toughens tone In video comments Sunday, Pezeshkian said Iran’s military response would only strengthen.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Consider that go-to little black dress; adding a sleek leather belt and some edgy silver jewelry toughens it up, and gives it a completely different vibe.
—Shelby Comroe, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
Assembly Bill 1087 toughens penalties for drivers who cause a death while under the influence of intoxicants.
—Sacbee.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Curing toughens the skin and helps heal small cuts, extending the squash's shelf life.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
The new figures come as Berlin toughens its stance on China, while trying not to rankle its top trading partner.
—semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Aleksandar Furtula, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Senegal 's parliament has approved a new bill that toughens punishment for homosexuality in the largely Muslim West African nation, the latest African country to impose harsh penalties against the LGBTQ+ community.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Iran’s president toughens tone Pezeshkian said Iran’s military response would only strengthen.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
Iran’s president toughens tone In video comments Sunday, Pezeshkian said Iran’s military response would only strengthen.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Consider that go-to little black dress; adding a sleek leather belt and some edgy silver jewelry toughens it up, and gives it a completely different vibe.
—Shelby Comroe, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
Assembly Bill 1087 toughens penalties for drivers who cause a death while under the influence of intoxicants.
—Sacbee.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Curing toughens the skin and helps heal small cuts, extending the squash's shelf life.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
The new figures come as Berlin toughens its stance on China, while trying not to rankle its top trading partner.
—semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toughens
Verb
-
Medical organizations like the American Dental Association criticized the move in certain states to ban the mineral, which helps prevent cavities and strengthens teeth.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The cloud ahead of price is bullish (span A above span B) and often thickens as the trend strengthens.—
Karl Montevirgen,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Gulf’s stance hardens There have been strong signs that the Gulf’s collective patience has been wearing thin.—
Holly Ellyatt,Emma Graham,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
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His turn into villainy is trickier, yet Gosling hardens his voice and his gaze and successfully spars with the murderer’s row of Giamatti, Clooney, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The woman—Rose, apparently—stiffens slightly.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Moving the kink to one end makes that side soft and the opposite end stiff; placing it at the center softens the middle and stiffens both edges.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toughens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toughens. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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