: the quality or state of being tough: such as
a
: the quality of being strong and not easily broken, torn, etc.
This combination of strength and ductility makes spider silk extremely tough, matching the toughness of state-of-the-art carbon fibers such as Kevlar.—
MIT Technology Review
MIT Technology Review
also
: the quality of being difficult to cut or chew
… the extreme toughness of the beef … , which rendered it quite unfit … for any human consumption. —Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
b
: physical or emotional strength that allows someone to endure strain or hardship
Henin-Hardenne's unshakable mental toughness—she says one of her great joys in life is staving off a break point in a tight match—makes her all the more formidable.—L. Jon Wertheim
L. Jon Wertheim
c
: the quality of being severe or uncompromising
the toughness of the new sentencing guidelines
his toughness as a negotiator
The Minnesota senator referenced the story during her campaign to showcase her toughness on crime.—Summer Concepcion and Matt Shuham
Summer Concepcion and Matt ShuhamBesides teaching us how to hit with pads [in football], [Sister] Paulinus instructed us in English, history, and the love of God, with a distinctive combination of toughness and good humor.—Luke Timothy Johnson
Luke Timothy Johnson
d
: the quality of being difficult to accomplish, resolve, endure, or deal with
the toughness of life in prison
the toughness of these decisions
After an appearance on British television, he is almost giddy at the toughness of the questions he faced.—A. O. Scott
A. O. ScottJust spritz on some Dawn Power Dissolver, wait 15 to 30 minutes depending on the toughness of the job, wipe with a sponge, and rinse.—Cook's Illustrated
Cook's IllustratedExamples of toughness in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For all its defensive toughness and ruggedness in generating free-throw attempts, the team never found consistent answers from outside.
—Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Horizon doesn’t come close to the unsparing emotional toughness of many of the 1950s Westerns by the likes of John Ford, Anthony Mann, and Budd Boetticher, or, for that matter, the later works of their Italian spiritual brethren, the double Sergios Leone and Corbucci.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 21 May 2024
Denver proved its toughness and inverted the chemical balance of this series.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 11 May 2024
The Mavs have star power, depth and a newfound toughness with the additions of Washington, Lively, Jones and Daniel Gafford this season.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2024
And yet, even in defeat, Santillan showed his hometown fans an incredible combination of toughness and will power.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2024
Annika is hard to figure out, a blend of toughness and vulnerability.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 12 May 2024
Start, stay healthy, show flashes of toughness, magic, while possessing the hardware and software.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 11 May 2024
Each setback became a steppingstone, fostering a culture of mental toughness within the company.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Horizon doesn’t come close to the unsparing emotional toughness of many of the 1950s Westerns by the likes of John Ford, Anthony Mann, and Budd Boetticher, or, for that matter, the later works of their Italian spiritual brethren, the double Sergios Leone and Corbucci.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 21 May 2024
Denver proved its toughness and inverted the chemical balance of this series.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 11 May 2024
The Mavs have star power, depth and a newfound toughness with the additions of Washington, Lively, Jones and Daniel Gafford this season.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2024
And yet, even in defeat, Santillan showed his hometown fans an incredible combination of toughness and will power.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2024
Annika is hard to figure out, a blend of toughness and vulnerability.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 12 May 2024
Start, stay healthy, show flashes of toughness, magic, while possessing the hardware and software.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 11 May 2024
Each setback became a steppingstone, fostering a culture of mental toughness within the company.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toughness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near toughness
Cite this Entry
“Toughness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toughness. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.
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