TOUGHENING Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

toughening

verb

present participle of toughen

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

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as in hardening

to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure hiking every morning through snow and ice toughened him considerably

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as in stiffening

to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe attempts to toughen conditions under which waivers from military service would be permitted

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of toughening Greece’s conservative government has been toughening its migration policies. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 The tender side of Strout is her hopefulness—and that may be toughening up. — Literary Hub, 7 May 2026 In the nineties, hip-hop was toughening up the sound of American popular music; Jackson, fey and theatrical, seemed increasingly distant from the cultural mainstream. — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 Running statewide, Bianco’s priorities include toughening public safety laws and addressing homelessness through law enforcement involvement. — David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for toughening

Verb

The Bills are also coming off a Monday night overtime game, strengthening the home underdog’s case.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Florida is living proof that protecting the preborn and strengthening families is both possible and popular.

— Kimberly Bird, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of strengthening

Verb

The result, DiStefano said, is homeowners who spend tens of thousands of dollars hardening their houses and still get non-renewed.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Allen says homeowners who spend money hardening their properties, including making homes more resistant to wildfires, should receive meaningful benefits from insurers for lowering their risk.

— Kenny Choi, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of hardening

Verb

Proposition 132 attempts to address these concerns by stiffening legal penalties.

— Joshua Barocas, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
But one of the positives Glenn highlighted was the defense stiffening in the red zone against Chicago, which went 2 of 7 inside the New York 20-yard line.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of stiffening

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toughened

toughening

toughens

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“Toughening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toughening. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of toughening

verb

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