1
as in tough
difficult to endure
harsh conditions in the refugee camp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loud
disagreeable to one's aesthetic or artistic sense
the harsh lighting in the cafeteria makes the food look slightly off-color
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uncomfortable
causing discomfort
the harsh northern climate
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4
as in strict
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
a harsh judge when it comes to drug users and especially drug dealers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
the harsh reality of failure harsh words of criticism from her music teacher
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6
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
winced at the harsh sound that the beginner violinist was making
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harsh
Consumer Watchdog, which has been a harsh critic of State Farm, also is providing legal support for victims’ effort.
—
Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
The team conducted testing in harsh weather, including strong winds and heavy snowfall.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 June 2026
Despite the harsh partisanship of today’s political culture, Michelle Obama said those messages are still possible.
—Mark Guarino, ABC News, 17 June 2026
The harsh reality is that Iran’s regime has a tight grip on power, does not care about suffering by their people, and buried its nuclear material and much of its conventional military power underground where air power could not easily destroy it.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for harsh
Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
The team conducted testing in harsh weather, including strong winds and heavy snowfall.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 June 2026
Despite the harsh partisanship of today’s political culture, Michelle Obama said those messages are still possible.
—Mark Guarino, ABC News, 17 June 2026
The harsh reality is that Iran’s regime has a tight grip on power, does not care about suffering by their people, and buried its nuclear material and much of its conventional military power underground where air power could not easily destroy it.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for harsh
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harsh
Adjective
-
McIlroy bogeyed 18 to finish at one under, squarely in the hunt, considering the tough conditions limited scoring.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
Parker, a former Eagles assistant, has risen quickly through the NFL coaching ranks and now faces a tough task with a roster full of new faces and high expectations.—
Briana Aldridge,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
While the first two seasons often presented Lestat through structured tailoring and muted palettes, Season 3 arrives in a much louder world.—
Precious Fondren,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
They were all met with loud cheers on this Juneteenth evening.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
Still, the atmosphere was uncomfortable enough that Habermas left the institute a year later, to write his Habilitation, or second dissertation, a requirement for qualifying as a professor in German universities.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
Don’t suffer through summer in uncomfortable shoes.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Initiative, dubbed a ‘Swiss Brexit,’ sought binding limits by 2050, forcing strict curbs on asylum, family reunification and work permits, potentially dismantling Switzerland’s deal on free movement of people and close EU ties.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
The administration denied the request, saying accident rates for skydiving planes are lower than those for other types of private flights, a point the United States Parachute Association has emphasized repeatedly in the years since then, lobbying against stricter rules.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
The core characters Each character came into their own during the series, sometimes in emotionally painful ways.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
14 June 2026
-
Hidden inside those numbers is a long and painful history.—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
NPR,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Residents who have discussed the issue online described the smell as one of the most unpleasant aspects of the ongoing seaweed buildup.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
The figure-skimming silhouette also prevents the unpleasant feeling of sweating in too-tight clothes.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
After the Boston Tea Party, the British government cracked down on the colonies with a series of oppressive laws known as the Intolerable Acts.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
-
Outside the stadium, protesters clashed over Iran’s oppressive regime and its place in the tournament as players vowed to rise above politics and unite Iranians through soccer.—
Iliana Limón Romero,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Both state and church are also known for failing to live up to those ideals, for permitting indefensible abuses, for ugly histories.—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
-
Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harsh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harsh. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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