toughen

verb
UK: /ˈtʌfən/
US: /ˈtʌfən/

  1. To become stronger or more difficult to damage.

    1. The plant will toughen up in the cold weather to survive it.
    2. Exposure to the elements will naturally toughen the leather over time making it more durable.

  2. To make something stronger or more durable.

    1. You can toughen the dough by kneading it longer.
    2. The company decided to toughen its security measures after the recent cyberattack.

Synonyms

temper strengthen harden steel fortify
toughen transitive-verb

  1. To prepare someone to be mentally or emotionally stronger in the face of difficulties.

    1. Life can toughen you up if you let it.
    2. The experience of losing the competition will toughen her for future challenges.
toughen intransitive-verb

  1. To become more resilient or resistant, often through exposure to hardship.

    1. He needs to toughen up and stop complaining.
    2. After years of working in a high-pressure environment, she started to toughen.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "toughen" in English means: To become stronger or more difficult to damage., To make something stronger or more durable..

The phonetic transcription of "toughen" is /ˈtʌfən/ in British English and /ˈtʌfən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "toughen": temper, strengthen, harden, steel, fortify.

Example usage of "toughen": "The plant will toughen up in the cold weather to survive it.". More examples on the page.