HARDNESS Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

hardness

noun

ˈhärd-nəs

Definition of hardness

as in hardship

something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal the test questions were rated for hardness, a rating of five indicating the most difficult

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in severity

the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism) the aunt's hardness gradually crumbled under the influence of the little orphan's endearing ways

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 hardness There’s a certain softness to Peter’s eyes and a hardness in Telemachus’s brow. — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Heating the alloy to 750°C (1,382°F) reduced its grain size by roughly 90%, while raising its hardness by 60 Vickers units. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026 Both can chew up and maintain most ground types and hardnesses, but an electric tiller can have enough power to process new ground, which is usually too hard for a cultivator to process. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2026 The everyday blade and mini blade use M390 steel, selected for its hardness and edge retention. — New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hardness

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardness

Noun

Though the tableaux depict hardships endured by a painter born in 1593, Artemisia, the impressions convey yearning, grief, suffering and resilience that transcend centuries.

— Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Widespread civil unrest over teacher shortages and economic hardship escalated across France over the weekend as rioters clashed with police and stormed public buildings.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of hardship

Noun

But genuinely funny moments are rare, badly outnumbered by done-to-death musings regarding the mysteries of being alive and torturous melodramatic moments in which Klara dully absorbs the severity of Josie’s illness and Chrissy’s sorrow.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Gassman emphasized that the severity of coastal flooding will depend largely on weather conditions.

— Ted Scouten, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of severity

Noun

Both candidates, however, closed out the campaign’s final hours promising expensive new subsidies, highlighting the political difficulties of reining in public debt, which has increased under Lula by 10 percentage points to more than 82% of GDP.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
In fact, Bolsonaro’s campaign had also requested an extension in some areas, citing difficulties voters faced reaching polling stations because of heavy rain.

— Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficulty

Browse Nearby Words

hardly

hardness

hardnose

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Style

“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hardness

noun

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