1
as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure
hardened from years of deprivation and grief, the man regarded the house fire as just another misfortune in a life filled with them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
hardened cynics regarded those TV shows as being anything but reality-based
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in froze
to become physically firm or solid
the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strengthened
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
pioneer women who had been hardened by years of living on the plains
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in toughened
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
arm muscles that were hardened by all the years of casting and hauling his fishing nets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in stiffened
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
the government hardened restrictions on travel to and from the war-torn nation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardened
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
So essentially, a beverage cooler is just a polystyrene foam container with a hardened plastic coating.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
The backbone would rely on hardened fiber, encrypted satellite links, and shared cyber intelligence feeds.
—Judah Taub, semafor.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
Since then, Tehran has fortified Kharg heavily, building air defenses, hardened infrastructure and underground storage designed to keep oil flowing even under sustained attack.
—Imtiaz Tyab, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2026
The best callus removers make quick work of thick, hardened skin—without turning your bathroom into a full-on pedicure station.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 9 Mar. 2026
The medical examiner ruled her death the result of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or hardened arteries, possibly due to a hereditary disorder.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026
The tool will also ship with either a graphite marking tip - essentially a compact graphite pencil for layout work - or a hardened metal scribing tip for marking metal surfaces.
—Omar Kardoudi
march 05, New Atlas, 5 Mar. 2026
Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
And the Iranian position has now hardened.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
But as hip-hop hardened and matured, so did the expectations.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Turning points that became businesses For all three, passion hardened into commitment in stages, each step built out of earlier constraints.
—J.m. Banks
march 16, Kansas City Star, 16 Mar. 2026
This is a time of year when the Canadiens need to do that, because playoff-hardened, veteran teams do that, as Hutson mentioned Saturday night.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that form in the gallbladder, often causing sudden, intense pain that can last from several minutes to a few hours.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
Turkey’s Defense Ministry said in January that Turkey had hardened its border with Iran by adding 236 miles of concrete walls, 203 optical towers and 43 observation posts.
—Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
But Saturday's launches appeared to dim such hopes, signaling defiance by Pyongyang, which in recent months has hardened its stance toward Seoul and urged Washington to drop denuclearization demands as a precondition for talks.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The hardened look of a world-weary MI6 agent.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
So essentially, a beverage cooler is just a polystyrene foam container with a hardened plastic coating.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
The backbone would rely on hardened fiber, encrypted satellite links, and shared cyber intelligence feeds.
—Judah Taub, semafor.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
Since then, Tehran has fortified Kharg heavily, building air defenses, hardened infrastructure and underground storage designed to keep oil flowing even under sustained attack.
—Imtiaz Tyab, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2026
The best callus removers make quick work of thick, hardened skin—without turning your bathroom into a full-on pedicure station.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 9 Mar. 2026
The medical examiner ruled her death the result of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or hardened arteries, possibly due to a hereditary disorder.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026
The tool will also ship with either a graphite marking tip - essentially a compact graphite pencil for layout work - or a hardened metal scribing tip for marking metal surfaces.
—Omar Kardoudi
march 05, New Atlas, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
Iran and the United States hardened their positions as a diplomatic push for a ceasefire in the Middle East war appeared to falter on Thursday.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
And the Iranian position has now hardened.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
But as hip-hop hardened and matured, so did the expectations.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Turning points that became businesses For all three, passion hardened into commitment in stages, each step built out of earlier constraints.
—J.m. Banks
march 16, Kansas City Star, 16 Mar. 2026
This is a time of year when the Canadiens need to do that, because playoff-hardened, veteran teams do that, as Hutson mentioned Saturday night.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that form in the gallbladder, often causing sudden, intense pain that can last from several minutes to a few hours.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
Turkey’s Defense Ministry said in January that Turkey had hardened its border with Iran by adding 236 miles of concrete walls, 203 optical towers and 43 observation posts.
—Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
But Saturday's launches appeared to dim such hopes, signaling defiance by Pyongyang, which in recent months has hardened its stance toward Seoul and urged Washington to drop denuclearization demands as a precondition for talks.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardened
Adjective
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Our Top Makeup Brush Sets When the brushes are thoughtfully designed—think soft, dense fibers and sturdy handles—blending tends to be easier, and your makeup looks that much more polished.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Governments across the continent are struggling with stubborn insurgencies.—
Obi Anyadike,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Because that is ultimately what The Secret Garden is about—the stubborn, almost unreasonable insistence of living things to grow toward the light.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But after the White House froze federal grant funding for the project in the fall, citing concerns about diversity and equity measures, lobbyists with an interest in the tunnel donated $2,500 to a political novice running in the Republican primary in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District.—
Megan O’Matz,
ProPublica,
18 Mar. 2026
-
While Medicare froze reimbursements, supplemental insurers did not.—
Brian New,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Eyewitness imagery strengthened that assessment.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The Worldpay deal also bolstered Global Payments presence in Europe and strengthened some of its offerings such as e-commerce capabilities.—
Justin Zacks,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The prime minister’s demeanor stiffened.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
-
After the deputies put him back into the chair, Mitchell’s body stiffened, with his legs straight in front of him and his head lolling back.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Many of the most popular houseplants — from trendy peace lilies to hardy snake plants — contain compounds that are toxic to cats and dogs.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Only the hardiest of your spring crops should initially be planted to avoid any remnant hard freeze that could arise.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Conservative Republicans were adamant, however, against establishing a precedent that allows Congress during the yearly appropriations process to fund some agencies within Homeland Security, but not others.—
Lisa Mascaro,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
However, even as the team trudges to a play-in spot rather than a top seed, Green was adamant that the Warriors’ standard of competitiveness cannot change.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Congressional Progressive Caucus, which includes roughly 100 House Democrats, has formally opposed a reauthorization without changes to the program, marking its strongest stance yet against Section 702 and complicating the path forward for GOP leadership, according to the Hill.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Like a magic potion in a fairy tale, these liquid cleanses promised clear skin, strong nails, shiny hair, and gut health.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardened. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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