Tougher

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Demonstrating greater strength or resilience than something else
2. Indicating a heightened ability to withstand difficulties or pressure
3. Being stronger or more durable than another object or person ; presenting a higher level of challenge or harshness compared to before

Etymology: "Tougher" is simply the comparative of "tough," so its story is really the story of the adjective. The original Old English "tōh" described things that held fast together, such as dough or clay, as well as things that were pliant and sticky, like glue. Durability and resistance to breaking came later, so the sense of "tougher" as "much more durable" grows out of that older picture of material that clings and resists being pulled apart. Old English "tōh" belongs to a family of Germanic words that all share this sense of holding together. Its relatives include Dutch "taai" and German "zäh," both meaning tough in the same way. Further back, the Germanic root is linked to the idea of pressing or throngs, and it connects with ancient words for biting, such as Greek "dáknō" and Sanskrit "daśati," which share the same ancient root.

Synonyms: harder, stronger, more resilient

Antonyms: weaker, softer, more fragile