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Tenderness vs Fortitude - What's the difference?

tenderness | fortitude |

As nouns the difference between tenderness and fortitude

is that tenderness is a tendency to express warm, compassionate feelings while fortitude is mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.

tenderness

English

Noun

(es)
  • a tendency to express warm, compassionate feelings
    • When the lovers were together, their cold indifference gave way to love and tenderness .
  • concern for the feelings or welfare of others
    • When they saw the poor orphans, they were overwhelmed with tenderness for them.
  • pain or discomfort when an affected area is touched
    • He noted her extreme tenderness when he touched the bruise on her thigh.

    fortitude

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.
  • * 1612 , , King Henry VIII , act 3, sc. 2:
    • . . . I am able now, methinks,
    Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,
    To endure more miseries.
  • * , ch. 1:
    • I shall soon have need for all my fortitude , as I am on the point of separation from my own daughter.
  • * 1906 , , The Mirror of the Sea , ch. 21:
    • She may be saved by your efforts, by your resource and fortitude bearing up against the heavy weight of guilt and failure.
  • * 2012 Jan. 30, , " The Strategist," Time :
    • Mitt Romney . . . charges that Obama is an appeaser who apologizes for America, lacks fortitude and is "tentative, indecisive, timid and nuanced."
  • (archaic) Physical strength.
  • * 1604 , , Othello , act 1, sc. 3:
    • DUKE OF VENICE: The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for
    Cyprus. Othello, the fortitude of the place is best
    known to you.

    Synonyms

    * (mental or emotional strength) inner strength, moxie, resolve