harsh

adjective

ˈhärsh 

1

: having a coarse uneven surface that is rough or unpleasant to the touch

… granite stones, harsh with lichen …

—Nancy Hale

2

a

: causing a disagreeable or painful sensory reaction : irritating

harsh colors

harsh lighting

her harsh high-pitched voice

The horseradish was too harsh for the children.

: overly intense or powerful

harsh chemicals

b

: physically discomforting

The climate there is very harsh.

a harsh winter

: unpleasant and difficult to accept or experience

the harsh realities of poverty

a harsh reminder of the importance of wearing a seat belt

3

: excessively critical or negative

had some harsh words for her opponent

a harsh critic

: unduly severe in making demands

harsh discipline

4

: lacking in aesthetic appeal or refinement : crude

… a harsh and sometimes unpleasant book, barren of pretty touches …

—Brendan Gill

harshly adverb

harshness noun

Synonyms of harsh

• tough
• oppressive
• brutal
• searing
• rough
• severe
• hard
• cruel
• grim

Choose the Right Synonym for harsh

rough, harsh, uneven, rugged, scabrous mean not smooth or even.

rough implies points, bristles, ridges, or projections on the surface.

a rough wooden board

harsh implies a surface or texture distinctly unpleasant to the touch.

a harsh fabric that chafes the skin

uneven implies a lack of uniformity in height, breadth, or quality.

an old house with uneven floors

rugged implies irregularity or roughness of land surface and connotes difficulty of travel.

a rugged landscape

scabrous implies scaliness or prickliness of surface.

a scabrous leaf

Examples of harsh in a Sentence

The climate there is very harsh.

We've had an extremely harsh winter.

It's time for her to face the harsh realities of this situation.

The accident serves as a harsh reminder of the importance of wearing a seat belt.

The lighting in the room was very harsh.

The state has established harsh penalties for drug dealers.

She has been criticized for her harsh treatment of her students.

He was sentenced to a harsh prison term.

He had harsh words for his opponent.

She has faced some extremely harsh criticism.

Recent Examples on the Web

Her harshest barb riffed on a famous Maybelline mascara ad. —ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026

Fuqua’s film understands how precious childhood is, and the way that harsh treatment and rigid social expectations can mangle a young person’s outlook on life. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026

Apple’s software is also the source of on-and-off griping, with last year’s Liquid Glass redesign occasioning some particularly harsh criticism. —ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026

So, Golden Staters paying 54% extra for housing in 2024 – as harsh as that is to a household’s budget – represents a 7-percentage-point improvement compared to what Californians have been used to. —Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English harsk, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian harsk harsh

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

harsh

adjective

ˈhärsh 

1

: disagreeable to the touch

2

: causing discomfort or pain

3

: making many or difficult demands : severe

harsh discipline

4

: not pleasant to the artistic sense

harsh colors

harshly adverb

harshness noun