Standard Lemma guide

toughen

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈtʌfən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌfən
  • CMU ARPABET: T AH1 F AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make tough.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The new training program is designed to toughen the athletes.
  • A cold shower every morning will toughen your skin.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To become tough.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

make tough or tougher

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This experience will toughen her

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: strengthen

Narrower terms: season, harden

History

Etymology

From tough + -en.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: втвърдявам (vtvǎrdjavam) — to make tougher
  • Finnish: koventaa — to make tougher
  • Finnish: vahvistaa — to make tougher
  • Finnish: karkaista — to make tougher
  • Irish: cruaigh — to make tougher
  • Māori: whakapūioio — to make tougher
  • Māori: whakamarohi — to make tougher
  • Māori: whakapakeke — to make tougher
  • Russian: ужесточа́ть (užestočátʹ) — to make tougher
  • Russian: ужесточи́ть (užestočítʹ) — to make tougher
  • Bulgarian: втвърдявам се (vtvǎrdjavam se) — to become tougher
  • Czech: ztuhnout — to become tougher
  • Czech: ztvrdnout — to become tougher
  • Finnish: koventua — to become tougher
  • Finnish: vahvistua — to become tougher
  • Finnish: karkaistua — to become tougher
  • German: versteifen — to become tougher
  • Irish: cruaigh — to become tougher
  • Slovak: stvrdnúť — to become tougher
  • Slovak: stuhnúť — to become tougher