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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hardened
Colin Bedell, Them, 20 Mar. 2025
The company doesn't say if the glass is hardened against breakage like Gorilla Glass.
—PCMAG, 20 Mar. 2025
European colonial rule hardened the distinction.
—Emmet Livingstone, The Dial, 20 Mar. 2025
Once hardened to the surface, that polymerized layer feels impossible to remove.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2025
Drones and conventional missiles fired from long range cannot carry the large payloads required to significantly damage hardened or sprawling targets like the ones in Yemen.
—Stacie L. Pettyjohn, Foreign Affairs, 10 Mar. 2025
Canadians at first reacted to tariffs with icy fear, but that has hardened into anger and resolve.
—Stephen Maher, TIME, 9 Mar. 2025
As the two sides hardened their bargaining positions, Israel shut off all food and other aid entering the strip Sunday, saying its obligations expired with the end of the first ceasefire stage.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Mar. 2025
Apple products are not affected by the attack, but even so, the company hardened the Find My network to resist this kind of attack.
—David Phelan, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
March 27 is an opportunity to dissolve barriers between the heart and the soul, and to soften the edges where hurt has hardened us.
—Colin Bedell, Them, 20 Mar. 2025
The company doesn't say if the glass is hardened against breakage like Gorilla Glass.
—PCMAG, 20 Mar. 2025
European colonial rule hardened the distinction.
—Emmet Livingstone, The Dial, 20 Mar. 2025
Once hardened to the surface, that polymerized layer feels impossible to remove.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2025
Drones and conventional missiles fired from long range cannot carry the large payloads required to significantly damage hardened or sprawling targets like the ones in Yemen.
—Stacie L. Pettyjohn, Foreign Affairs, 10 Mar. 2025
Canadians at first reacted to tariffs with icy fear, but that has hardened into anger and resolve.
—Stephen Maher, TIME, 9 Mar. 2025
As the two sides hardened their bargaining positions, Israel shut off all food and other aid entering the strip Sunday, saying its obligations expired with the end of the first ceasefire stage.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Mar. 2025
Apple products are not affected by the attack, but even so, the company hardened the Find My network to resist this kind of attack.
—David Phelan, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardened
Adjective
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Cast Iron Square Skillet Grill This 9.5-inch square skillet pan is made from sturdy cast iron, giving meats and vegetables that juicy, chargrilled flavor and appearance — with no real grilling actually required.—
Emily Weaver,
People.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Myth That Won’t Die: 'Nobody Scrolls' For years, there’s been this stubborn idea in web design that everything important has to be above the fold.—
Talie Smith,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Fire signs are assertive, passionate and creative; Earth signs are dependable, stubborn and grounded; Air signs are curious intellectuals with a knack for socializing, and Water signs are known to tap into universal undercurrents, navigating emotions.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
When the property bubble burst and prices began to fall amid a broader economic slowdown, the market froze, leaving many of these units unoccupied.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
-
The government initially froze all these grants and contracts.—
Isaac Chotiner,
The New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The first direct link between alcohol use and cancer was first established in the late 1980s, and evidence for this link has strengthened over time, according to the report.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Dubai Duty Free also strengthened its senior management team with eight senior managers appointed to key roles, including seven UAE nationals.—
Kevin Rozario,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Some elephant ears are winter hardy, but some of the fancy varieties need to be lifted and stored for the winter.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Aug. 2025
-
It’s made from a blend of hardy grapes—itasca, frontenac, and la crescent—bred for cold climates by the University of Minnesota and still relatively unknown.—
Emma John,
AFAR Media,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Yankees have been adamant that Fried’s blister has nothing to do with his struggles.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
-
However, Noem was adamant that the new black paint update is the deterrent the U.S. needs to secure the Mexican border.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.—
Elliot Hughes,
Journal Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2023
-
This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
Throughout the process, the brothers' extended family has been steadfast in backing their release.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Having reaffirmed his happiness at Newcastle publicly as recently as March, the club was steadfast in its belief he would not be sold and would not agitate for a move away.—
Harry De Cosemo,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardened. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share