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
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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
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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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Recent Examples of toughen
Scheffler started hot but cooled off as conditions toughened later in the day.
—
Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
Either toughen up or use a mixer.
—Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
The group is exploring using other semiconductors, such as diamond, to toughen the transmitter.
—Katherine Bourzac, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for toughen
Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
Either toughen up or use a mixer.
—Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
The group is exploring using other semiconductors, such as diamond, to toughen the transmitter.
—Katherine Bourzac, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for toughen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toughen
Verb
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Nexstar contends the deal would strengthen TV station economics, allowing stations to bolster their news gathering and expand the number of newscasts.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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The medication can help strengthen the floor-of-mouth muscles, keeping the dog’s airway more open.—
Taneia Surles,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Lightly scrub grout or tile lines before buildup hardens further.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
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Emery prefers his players to be battle-hardened and to be involved in matches, rather than just training.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The rings arise because the metal softens as the can compresses, then stiffens, then compresses and stiffens again, repeating the pattern until the compression is complete—akin to something called homoclinic snaking.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
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Will these Knicks stick to the process when the competition stiffens in the second round?—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toughen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toughen. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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