Tougherly

Tougherly is a rarely used English adverb derived from the adjective tough. It is meant to describe performing an action in a tougher or more resilient manner. In modern English, the term is considered archaic or literary and is seldom encountered outside historical or stylistic contexts.

Etymology and sense: The form appears to be a composite of the comparative suffix -er with the adverbial -ly attached to tough, an atypical construction in present-day English. Attestations occur in older texts and poems; contemporary dictionaries generally label it as archaic, dialectal, or literary.

Usage: Because it sounds unusual to modern readers, authors typically avoid it. When a speaker’s toughness needs emphasis, writers usually rephrase as in a tougher manner or replace the adverb with a more common expression suited to the context.

Related terms and notes: Related terms include tough and the rarely used toughly.