harden

verb

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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 offharden 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 offplants 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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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 That hardens the entire supply chain—which in turn makes everyone’s aircraft more secure. — Wired, "The Air Force Will Let Hackers Try to Hijack an Orbiting Satellite," 17 Sep. 2019 The rice will harden and take longer and longer to absorb water. — Jesse Sparks, Bon Appétit, "9 Pantry Staples You Probably Need to Replace," 3 Sep. 2019 Even if collectively the contacts paint a damaging portrait, the slow, steady pace of charges and reports worked more to harden hearts against Trump than to change minds. — David French, National Review, "Today, Impeachment Died Another Death," 24 July 2019 Opinion against Mr Khalilzad’s deal hardened as indiscriminate bombings in Kabul killed dozens of civilians. — The Economist, "America calls off negotiations to end its 18-year war in Afghanistan," 12 Sep. 2019 Chill the dough overnight so the butter will harden, which will make the dough easier to handle. — Jessica Yadegaran, The Mercury News, "“Downton Abbey” Recipe: Asparagus Cups," 1 Sep. 2019 As discussions continue, Pentagon officials may suggest taking new deterrent measures short of direct use of force, such as increasing the number of troops in the region and hardening U.S. defenses, officials said. — Washington Post, "Pentagon urges restraint as administration blames Iran for Saudi strikes," 18 Sep. 2019 The Global Commission on Adaptation was formed to help ensure that social and economic systems are hardened to withstand the consequences of climate change. — Eric Roston, Fortune, "The Massive Cost of Not Adapting to Climate Change," 10 Sep. 2019 Laser light projects an image on the gel, hardening light-sensitive polymers into the shape of an artificial organ. — Scientific American, "Test Pilot Geese, Planetary Wrecking Balls and Super AI Vision: The Week’s Best Science GIFs," 6 Sep. 2019

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.

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