1
as in to freeze
to become physically firm or solid
the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air
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2
as in to strengthen
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
pioneer women who had been hardened by years of living on the plains
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3
as in to toughen
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
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4
as in to stiffen
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
the government hardened restrictions on travel to and from the war-torn nation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harden
Grossi, of the IAEA, warned earlier this week that Israeli strikes were unlikely to destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities — and risked hardening Iran’s determination to build a nuclear bomb.
—
Colin Meyn, The Hill, 13 June 2025
Democratic policies regarding immigration have evolved as attitudes, even among Latinos, have hardened after record border crossings during former President Joe Biden‘s administration.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Now, your union advised agricultural employers to harden work sites.
—A Martínez, NPR, 13 June 2025
Without complementary requirements for hardening the homes themselves, widespread clearing of landscaping immediately around homes could do little to reduce risk and could even aggravate the danger.
—Max Moritz, Mercury News, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for harden
Colin Meyn, The Hill, 13 June 2025
Democratic policies regarding immigration have evolved as attitudes, even among Latinos, have hardened after record border crossings during former President Joe Biden‘s administration.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Now, your union advised agricultural employers to harden work sites.
—A Martínez, NPR, 13 June 2025
Without complementary requirements for hardening the homes themselves, widespread clearing of landscaping immediately around homes could do little to reduce risk and could even aggravate the danger.
—Max Moritz, Mercury News, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for harden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harden
Verb
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To freeze cut tomatoes, place in a single layer on a lined baking sheet or plate, and freeze until firm to keep them from sticking together.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
7 July 2025
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But in January, DOE grant funding was frozen while President Donald Trump's administration reviewed individual awardees.—
Rick Barrett,
jsonline.com,
7 July 2025
Verb
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To strengthen your position in this AI age, regularly audit your skills, passions, and industry trends.—
Britney Porter,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Advertisement But bodies are living things who are entitled to change, strengthen, soften, expand, and spill out as evidence of a life lived—not a life restricted.—
Mari Andrew,
Time,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Many Republicans would like to stiffen the work requirements by requiring work of recipients who are up to age 65 or are the parents of children who are more than six years old.—
Tracy Roof,
The Conversation,
1 Apr. 2025
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The Police Department, along with representatives from AT&T and Spectrum, are urging lawmakers to stiffen the penalties for cable theft.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harden. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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