verb to make or become tougher or stronger
adjective having strength or resilience
Soldiers are toughened through intense physical and mental training to prepare them for combat situations.
Parents may toughen their children by setting firm boundaries and teaching them how to handle difficult situations.
Exposure therapy is used to toughen individuals against phobias and anxieties by gradually confronting their fears.
Challenging assignments and tests are designed to toughen students and help them develop resilience and perseverance.
Athletes undergo rigorous training to toughen their bodies and improve their performance.
Materials such as steel are toughened through processes like heat treatment to increase their strength and durability.
In the writing world, toughen can refer to developing a thicker skin to handle rejection and criticism, or to strengthen the tone of a piece to make it more impactful.
Psychologists may use the term toughen when discussing techniques to help clients build resilience and cope with difficult situations or emotions.
Athletes often use toughen to describe the process of increasing physical and mental strength to perform better under pressure or in challenging conditions.
In the military, toughen can refer to the training and conditioning soldiers undergo to prepare them for the physical and mental demands of combat.