the opposite of fragile isn't sturdy, it's something that gets stronger when you hit it.
means a property of systems that improve, adapt, or gain from volatility, shocks, and stress instead of merely surviving them.
from coined by nassim nicholas taleb in his 2012 book antifragile, who noticed that no english word truly meant the opposite of fragile — robust just resists shocks, it doesn't benefit from them, so he invented the term to fill the gap.
muscle tissue — microtears from lifting weights make it grow back stronger
immune system — exposure to pathogens builds lasting defenses
startup ecosystems — silicon valley's failures fund the next wave of founders
restaurant industry — individual eateries fail constantly, the cuisine itself keeps evolving