1
as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure
hardened from years of deprivation and grief, the man regarded the house fire as just another misfortune in a life filled with them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
hardened cynics regarded those TV shows as being anything but reality-based
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in froze
to become physically firm or solid
the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strengthened
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
pioneer women who had been hardened by years of living on the plains
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in toughened
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in stiffened
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
the government hardened restrictions on travel to and from the war-torn nation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardened
Chris Feil, Vulture, 1 May 2026
That step would signal a change in how the military plans to counter hardened and time-sensitive targets in the region.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
They were armed with powerful, hardened beaks and likely had high intelligence.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
Hot water is especially helpful for greasy pans, oily dishes, or anything with hardened food residue.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
In that sense, the discussion around hardened container images reflects a larger shift.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
To minimize the risk of this happening, teams may choose pre-hardened images from containerization services that have already secured their images.
—Felysha Walker, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
The sand mound in question is reportedly approximately 108 feet tall, made of hardened sand rather than bedrock.
—Ryan Brennan
april 1, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
One way to protect American military assets from small drones is to place them in hardened aircraft shelters.
—Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Jonathan J. Cooper, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Emery prefers his players to be battle-hardened and to be involved in matches, rather than just training.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Everyone’s soft gazes soon hardened as the magnificent baby with so many rolls and love handles proved to be all unsightly flab.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
As the industry has expanded, public opinion has hardened against it.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026
No one outside getting back in and the perimeter has been hardened around the venue.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
But their hearts were hardened.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2026
The judges also said the district court’s ruling violated a 1996 federal law that hardened immigration enforcement and restricted judicial power on immigration.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Attitudes toward Israel among EU member states, already strained by Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, have hardened further amid the ongoing Israeli invasion of Lebanon and a new law passed on the death penalty for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
—April 21, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
With Hathaway as a hardened journalist who haplessly lands herself into the center of a conflict in El Salvador, the film is somewhat at sea, allowing itself and the audience to get swept away by an unmoored plot.
—Chris Feil, Vulture, 1 May 2026
That step would signal a change in how the military plans to counter hardened and time-sensitive targets in the region.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
They were armed with powerful, hardened beaks and likely had high intelligence.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
Hot water is especially helpful for greasy pans, oily dishes, or anything with hardened food residue.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
In that sense, the discussion around hardened container images reflects a larger shift.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
To minimize the risk of this happening, teams may choose pre-hardened images from containerization services that have already secured their images.
—Felysha Walker, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
The sand mound in question is reportedly approximately 108 feet tall, made of hardened sand rather than bedrock.
—Ryan Brennan
april 1, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
One way to protect American military assets from small drones is to place them in hardened aircraft shelters.
—Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
They are hardened against the effects of a nuclear blast and include a range of security features, such as anti-missile countermeasures and an onboard operating room.
—Jonathan J. Cooper, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Emery prefers his players to be battle-hardened and to be involved in matches, rather than just training.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Everyone’s soft gazes soon hardened as the magnificent baby with so many rolls and love handles proved to be all unsightly flab.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
As the industry has expanded, public opinion has hardened against it.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026
No one outside getting back in and the perimeter has been hardened around the venue.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
But their hearts were hardened.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2026
The judges also said the district court’s ruling violated a 1996 federal law that hardened immigration enforcement and restricted judicial power on immigration.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Attitudes toward Israel among EU member states, already strained by Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, have hardened further amid the ongoing Israeli invasion of Lebanon and a new law passed on the death penalty for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
—April 21, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardened
Adjective
-
The 28-meter (92-foot) tall maypole was lifted horizontally on wooden carts and pulled into the village by two sturdy horses from the local beer brewery.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
-
These knives also feature a sturdy spine for extra heft and durability.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jared Speight is a stubborn titan of Long Island abstraction when star writer Roxy Margaux first becomes infatuated with his bravado.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
-
For concrete or tile, a mild cleaner helps remove the stubborn pollen film that builds up over spring months.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
During Chicago’s bitter winter of 2013-2014, the Humboldt Park Lagoon froze over, and snow piled on top of the thick layer of ice, plunging vegetation into a deadly darkness.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
-
But Sun’s love affair with the Trumps turned into a bitter breakup in September after World Liberty Financial froze Sun’s tokens, preventing him from selling his tranche, which is now worth around $240 million at current market prices.—
Ben Weiss,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Right-hander Roki Sasaki strengthened his case Saturday with a quality start, despite some hiccups, as the Dodgers fell 3-2 to the Cardinals, extending their losing streak to four games.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
-
Amtrak is considering allowing people to store guns in lockboxes on most of its trains, which critics say would weaken security measures that instead should be strengthened in light of the shooting at last weekend's White House Correspondents' Association dinner.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The journey of King Charles and the Queen consort had been planned for some time, well before relations between the United Kingdom and the United States stiffened due to international tensions, compounded by the assassination attempt on Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.—
Giorgia Olivieri,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
-
June stiffened, a pillar of ice.—
Meredith Maran,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In addition to being hardy and low-maintenance, spicebush is a beautiful addition to landscapes.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Lavender is a hardy perennial that thrives in full sun with minimal watering.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The characters can be flawed, and cars can crash, McDermott says, but NASCAR wanted race scenes to look authentic and was adamant that the series not depict anyone driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Warsh would take the chairmanship at a complicated time, given that a spike in gas prices could keep the central bank from lowering interest rates — a move that Trump has been adamant on.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Jessica Chmielewski, Colleen Gartlan and Ella Riordan led a strong defensive effort in front of Noone.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Set one clear boundary today and confirm expectations so your commitments stay strong and manageable.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardened. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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