Hardiness is the ability to withstand difficult conditions without breaking down or giving up. A hardy plant can survive frost, drought, or poor soil. A hardy explorer can endure harsh weather and challenging terrain. When something has hardiness, it has toughness and resilience built into its nature.

Gardeners pay close attention to hardiness when choosing plants. A tomato plant has low hardiness: it wilts in cold weather and needs careful tending. A cactus has high hardiness: it thrives in scorching deserts with little water. The USDA even publishes a Plant Hardiness Zone Map that shows which plants can survive in different regions based on temperature.

The word applies to people too. A student shows hardiness by persisting through a challenging math unit instead of giving up. An athlete demonstrates hardiness by training through exhaustion and setbacks. Physical hardiness means your body can handle tough conditions like cold, heat, hunger, or fatigue. Mental hardiness means your spirit stays strong when things get difficult.

Hardiness differs from mere strength. Strength is raw power, but hardiness is endurance. A bodybuilder might be strong, but a long-distance runner who completes marathons in rain, heat, and snow demonstrates true hardiness.