Definition of hardness
1 : the quality or state of being hard
2a : the cohesion of the particles on the surface of a mineral as determined by its capacity to scratch another or be itself scratched — compare mohs' scaleb : resistance of metal to indentation under a static load or to scratching
Read the Latest from M-W
Examples of hardness in a Sentence
the hardness of a diamond
The wood's hardness makes it suitable for carving.
Recent Examples of hardness from the Web
-
The composite wing is not produced the way Boeing manufactures the wings of the 787 Dreamliner — by baking the material to hardness in a high-pressure oven, known as an autoclave.
-
What was once panned as pure noise now strikes modern ears as something almost beautiful in its hardness.
-
The study concludes by suggesting that in future eruptions, the size, shape and hardness of the ash be characterized quickly to help to assessment of potential hazard – both to aircraft and to inhalation.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hardness'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Before 12th Century
First Known Use of hardness
before 12th century
HARDNESS Defined for English Language Learners
hardness
playDefinition of hardness for English Language Learners
-
: the quality or state of being hard
Learn More about hardness
-
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hardness Spanish Central: Translation of hardness Nglish: Translation of hardness for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of hardness for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hardness
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up hardness? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!