hardened; hardening
ˈhärd-niŋ 
ˈhär-dᵊn-iŋ
1
: to make hard or harder
2
: to confirm in disposition, feelings, or action
especially
: to make callous
hardened his heart
3
4
: to protect from blast, heat, or radiation (as by a thick barrier or placement underground)
1
: to become hard or harder
2
a
: to become firm, stable, or settled
b
: to assume an appearance of harshness or severity
her face hardened at the thought
3
: to become gradually acclimatized to unfavorable conditions
—often used with off
plants hardened off before the first frost
Synonyms
Examples of harden in a Sentence
The presence of certain substances in the blood can cause the arteries to harden.
These additives are designed to harden the steel.
substances that can harden the arteries
The news has hardened opposition to the government.
He had been hardened by his years of military service.
Recent Examples on the Web
The sclerosing agent causes the sac to harden and shrink, preventing the reaccumulation of fluid in the space.16
Varicoceles can often be managed with lifestyle changes, like wearing an athletic supporter (jockstrap) and losing weight.
—
Josephine Hessert, Verywell Health, 1 Dec. 2024
Updated bilateral trade pacts focused on sectors that China dominates—such as critical minerals and pharmaceutical supply chains—would also wean Washington and its partners off the Chinese market and harden them against Beijing’s coercion.
—Kyle Balzer, Foreign Affairs, 21 Nov. 2024
The party of former chancellor Angela Merkel, known for her liberal stance on immigration in 2016, has hardened considerably.
—Frey Lindsay, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Adrian Fontes, Arizona Secretary of State Since the post-election violence of the 2020 election, the no-nonsense Fontes has hardened his vote-counting centers.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for harden 
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Josephine Hessert, Verywell Health, 1 Dec. 2024
Updated bilateral trade pacts focused on sectors that China dominates—such as critical minerals and pharmaceutical supply chains—would also wean Washington and its partners off the Chinese market and harden them against Beijing’s coercion.
—Kyle Balzer, Foreign Affairs, 21 Nov. 2024
The party of former chancellor Angela Merkel, known for her liberal stance on immigration in 2016, has hardened considerably.
—Frey Lindsay, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Adrian Fontes, Arizona Secretary of State Since the post-election violence of the 2020 election, the no-nonsense Fontes has hardened his vote-counting centers.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for harden
Dictionary Entries Near harden
Cite this Entry
“Harden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harden. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
harden
verb
hard·en
ˈhärd-ᵊn
hardened; hardening
ˈhärd-niŋ
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to make or become hard or harder
2
: to make unfeeling or unsympathetic
hardened his heart
3
: to make or become hardy or strong
muscles hardened by exercise
4
: to protect from blast, heat, or radiation (as by a thick barrier or by placing underground)
hardened missile sites
5
a
: to become firm, stable, or settled
b
: to express harshness
hardener
noun
ˈhärd-nər
-ᵊn-ər
Biographical Definition
Harden
2 of 2biographical name (2)
Maximilian 1861–1927 originally Felix Ernst Witkowski German writer
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