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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of toughen
Further toughening his appearance are claw-like rings of his own design, some depicting multiple bird heads.
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Miles Socha, WWD, 5 Dec. 2024
The leadership and quality of Van Dijk is partnered with the towering presence of Milenkovic, who has toughened up Forest’s defence immeasurably.
—Rory Smith, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024
Producers are also likely waiting to see how much Trump might toughen sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, which in contrast to tariffs could tighten the market.
—Ben Geman, Axios, 6 Dec. 2024
Advertisement Levin was one of several Democrats in swing districts who took a more vocal stance on toughening border security this year.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for toughen 
Miles Socha, WWD, 5 Dec. 2024
The leadership and quality of Van Dijk is partnered with the towering presence of Milenkovic, who has toughened up Forest’s defence immeasurably.
—Rory Smith, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024
Producers are also likely waiting to see how much Trump might toughen sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, which in contrast to tariffs could tighten the market.
—Ben Geman, Axios, 6 Dec. 2024
Advertisement Levin was one of several Democrats in swing districts who took a more vocal stance on toughening border security this year.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for toughen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toughen
Verb
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Sterling strengthened on Wednesday after cooler-than-expected inflation prints out of the U.K. and U.S. sparked optimism around the U.K. economy and strengthened market bets on Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year.Jenni Reid,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2025
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Cycling helps to strengthen the muscles around the knee, helping to support the joints and reduce pain, while also improving flexibility and range of motion.Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The move recognizes the town’s work to mitigate future fires by clearing trees and hardening homes.Jake Bittle, WIRED, 9 Jan. 2025
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After sitting indoors all winter, your plant needs to be hardened off by gradually acclimating it to the outdoors.Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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But the Ravens defense stiffened at the right time, sacking Wilson with defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike delivering a crunching sack on a third-down play to force a punt as the third quarter came to an end.Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 12 Jan. 2025
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The schedule stiffens now, starting with Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies at home on Saturday.Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near toughen
Cite this Entry
“Toughen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toughen. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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