1
as in to freeze
to become physically firm or solid
the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air
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2
as in to strengthen
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
pioneer women who had been hardened by years of living on the plains
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3
as in to toughen
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
arm muscles that were hardened by all the years of casting and hauling his fishing nets
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4
as in to stiffen
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
the government hardened restrictions on travel to and from the war-torn nation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harden
One particular way to harden your home involves purchasing smart home systems with features that alert you to major problems.
—
Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2025
But Israeli opposition to a Palestinian state has only hardened since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
—Shira Efron, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2025
Options for intervention range from monitoring the person or hardening a target like a school, Amman said, or, in more extreme cases, invoking red flag laws or involuntarily committing someone.
—Ian Berry, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
This transit is meant to evolve your leadership, not harden it.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harden
Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2025
But Israeli opposition to a Palestinian state has only hardened since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
—Shira Efron, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2025
Options for intervention range from monitoring the person or hardening a target like a school, Amman said, or, in more extreme cases, invoking red flag laws or involuntarily committing someone.
—Ian Berry, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
This transit is meant to evolve your leadership, not harden it.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harden
Verb
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The sanctions, which will go into effect unless there’s a last-minute deal Friday, will include freezing Iranian assets abroad, halting arms deals with Tehran and penalizing any development of Iran’s ballistic missile program.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
27 Sep. 2025
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This cake can also be frozen for up to two months.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Moya said additional training that focuses on strengthening leadership skills and cultural awareness will also be implemented for Experience Fayetteville.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Sep. 2025
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Ukraine, too, is joining efforts to help strengthen Denmark’s security.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In a similar way, a man who is defiant stiffens his neck, squares his shoulders, lowers his brows, and clenches his fists with his knuckles forward.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
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The heart muscle may have thickened slightly, and arteries have likely stiffened, which can raise blood pressure.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harden. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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