harden

verb

hard·en | \ ˈhär-dᵊn

hardened; hardening\ˈhärd-niŋ,

ˈhär-dᵊn-iŋ \

Definition of harden

(Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to make hard or harder

2 : to confirm in disposition, feelings, or action especially : to make callous hardened his heart

3a : inure, toughen harden troops

b : to inure to unfavorable environmental conditions (such as cold) —often used with off harden off seedlings before transplanting

4 : to protect from blast, heat, or radiation (as by a thick barrier or placement underground)

intransitive verb

1 : to become hard or harder

2a : to become firm, stable, or settled

b : to assume an appearance of harshness or severity her face hardened at the thought

3 : to become gradually acclimatized to unfavorable conditions —often used with off plants hardened off before the first frost

Harden

biographical name (1)

Har·den | \ ˈhär-dᵊn

Definition of Harden (Entry 2 of 3)

Sir Arthur 1865–1940 English chemist

Harden

biographical name (2)

Definition of Harden (Entry 3 of 3)

Maximilian 1861–1927 originally Felix Ernst Witkowski German writer

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about harden

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Synonyms & Antonyms for harden

Synonyms: Verb

fortify, indurate, inure, season, steel, strengthen, toughen

Antonyms: Verb

soften

Examples of harden in a Sentence

Verb

The presence of certain substances in the blood can cause the arteries to harden. These additives are designed to harden the steel. substances that can harden the arteries The news has hardened opposition to the government. He had been hardened by his years of military service.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

According to the car manufacturer, the diaphragm material in the fuel pulsation dampers of certain engines can harden over time and crack, allowing fuel to leak and creating a risk of fire. — Renae Reints, Fortune, "Lexus Recalls 121,000 Cars Due to Risk of Fuel Leaks," 27 June 2018 And once it’s shaped and hardened, the rest is just arithmetic and money. — John Kass, chicagotribune.com, "For Mayor Globe-trotter, it's the money that matters," 13 July 2018 Toyota says a diaphragm material in the fuel injection system can harden over time and crack, allowing fuel to leak. — BostonGlobe.com, "Boston Children’s named best pediatric hospital in the country for fifth year," 27 June 2018 Moms Demand Action will continue to focus its efforts, Sprunger said, on strengthening gun laws, rather than hardening school buildings. — Arika Herron, Indianapolis Star, "We don’t know how safe Indiana schools are. Here’s why.," 10 June 2018 The conventional wisdom is that the outlandish fiscal plans of the populist government that took office last week will further harden German hearts against proposals to spread risk in the euro area. — The Economist, "France's plans for euro-zone reform get a lukewarm German response," 9 June 2018 In retrospect, the story served to soften the ground for what was to follow but harden the opinions already in concrete. — Ron Richmond For The Oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, "Inside Luke Heimlich's senior season with the Oregon State baseball team," 8 June 2018 Or how about when Prince Harry raised his bride-to-be's veil, and for one brief moment, even the most hardened of cynics swooned a little inside? — Aj Willingham, CNN, "Every romantic, emotional moment from one heck of a royal wedding," 19 May 2018 Seared by gases at hundreds of degrees centigrade and superheated volcanic materials that in time hardened into 60 feet of rock, the distorted, crumbling rolls were believed by most scholars to be the very definition of a lost cause. — Henrik Knudsen, Smithsonian, "Buried by the Ash of Vesuvius, These Scrolls Are Being Read for the First Time in Millennia," 26 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'harden.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.