Word · Frequency #20083
toughen
使变得坚韧；使变得顽强
make or become tough or tougher
既可指使物体变坚韧，也可指使人变得顽强。
- 1.
To make tough.
使变坚韧；使强硬。
- 2.
To become tough.
变得坚韧；变硬
使变坚韧；使强硬。；变得坚韧；变硬；(使)变坚韧；(使)变顽强
In use
The coach designed this training program to toughen the players before the final match.
Daily walking on rough paths will toughen your leg muscles.
Years of managing a small business have toughened his character.
toughen sb/sth
toughen 作及物动词时，直接接名词或代词作宾语，表示“使……变得坚韧/顽强”。
These experiences toughened him.
这些经历使他变得坚强。
toughen
toughen 可作不及物动词，不带宾语，表示主语自身变得坚硬、坚韧或顽强。
The skin on his hands had toughened from years of work.
他手上的皮肤因多年劳作而变得粗糙坚韧。
Verb forms
base toughen · third person toughens · -ing toughening · past toughened · past participle toughened
规则动词；toughen 意为“使…变坚韧、变坚强”，常用于谈论锻炼、经历或规则。过去式和过去分词均为 toughened。
Connections
Collocations
- toughen up
- （使）变坚强；（使）强硬起来
- Living alone has really toughened her up.独自生活真的让她变得坚强了。
- toughen security
- 加强安保
- The airport decided to toughen security after the incident.事件发生后，机场决定加强安保。
- toughen penalties
- 加重处罚
- The government plans to toughen penalties for drunk driving.政府计划加重对酒驾的处罚。
- toughen laws
- 严化法律；使法律更严格
- Many citizens want the city to toughen its pollution laws.许多市民希望该市严化污染法规。
- toughen the skin
- 使皮肤变坚韧
- Working outdoors can toughen the skin over time.长期在户外工作会使皮肤逐渐变得坚韧。
Idioms & figurative uses
Learner notes
Memory Tip
记法：tough（坚韧）加 -en（使…）就是 toughen（使坚韧）。想象皮革在锻炼中变得 toughened，更结实耐用。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：materials and manufacturing、law and policy、personal development 该词为中性动词，正式和非正式场合都较常见，具体语气随搭配变化：toughen up 偏口语，toughen laws/rules 多用于正式或新闻语体。通常表示使更坚韧、更严格或更有抵抗力。
Pronunciation & Spelling
这些词中，roughen /ˈrʌfən/ 与 toughen /ˈtʌfən/ 押韵（重读元音和后续音相同）；tough /tʌf/ 是 toughen 的词根，但不是完整同韵。注意：soften /ˈsɒfən/ 和 often /ˈɒfən/ 里的 t 不发音，且元音与 toughen 不同；cough /kɒf/ 和 dough /doʊ/ 的 -ough 分别读 /ɒf/ 和 /oʊ/，不能照 tough 的拼读猜。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.