Toughest

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Exhibiting remarkable durability and the capacity to withstand significant stressors
2. Having the greatest strength and resistance to damage or wear ; being the most challenging or demanding to overcome or handle
3. Characterized by exceptional physical or mental resilience ; standing out as the hardest to manage or accomplish

Etymology: "Toughest" is the superlative of "tough", and the adjective's oldest sense was physical rather than moral. Old English "tōh" meant something pliant and sticky, like clay or glue, that held fast together and resisted tearing. Only later did the sense shift toward strength and endurance, and from there to the figurative sense of a difficult situation or person. The root goes back to a Germanic word meaning "clinging" or "tenacious," which in turn traces to an ancient verb meaning "to bite." The idea seems to be that something that grips hard resists being pulled apart, the same logic that makes a well-chewed strip of leather hard to break. Related words survive across the Germanic languages, including German "zäh" and Dutch "taai," both meaning "tough."

Synonyms: strongest, hardest, sturdiest, robustest, firmest

Antonyms: easiest, softest, weakest, gentlest, tenderest