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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hardened
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 Oct. 2025
Sullivan, the drill instructor whose hardened exterior conceals his own private battles.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Mann’s Heat starred Al Pacino as a hardened Los Angeles cop named Vincent Hanna who, ignoring his deteriorating personal life, is obsessed with tracking down career criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), who wants to pull off one last heist before retiring.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
Those hardened positions have quashed behind-the-scenes efforts by a group of moderate Democrats and Republicans to work out some sort of mutual understanding or soft deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Pueblo police began investigating the case in January 2024 after someone called 911 about a suspicious metal container filled with hardened concrete in a storage unit in the 600 block of West Sixth Street.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
Phrynoderma Vitamin A deficiency can lead to a skin condition called phrynoderma, a type of follicular hyperkeratosis that causes small, hardened bumps on areas of the body such as the shoulders, buttocks, elbows, and knees.
—Laura Schober, Health, 25 Sep. 2025
The series Witsec follows a DOJ lawyer and a hardened mob hitman, both fed up with the corrupt institutions around them, who form a precarious alliance to convict criminal titans and save lives in the rogue origins of the Witness Protection Program.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
The hardened sediment largely contained the mineral brucite — created through alkaline waste interacting with magnesium in the ocean water that resulted in the crust-like surface surrounding the barrels.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
Around the same time, Israeli strikes on Damascus and continued clashes in Sweida hardened the idea, inside parts of the Kurdish movement, that the center could break.
—Hassan Hassan, Time, 11 Oct. 2025
All of it hardened the Mariners, preparing them for survival.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Subsequent congressional investigations, post-campaign books, and news stories have only hardened public opinion that, with his mental acuity faltering and physical stamina limited, Biden should have stepped aside after a single term.
—David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Alarmed, Augustine hardened his doctrine of grace, becoming its great theorist.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025
Here, the situation has changed, leaving many of the gods either hardened or embittered by the conflict.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
Whether those capabilities can be extended and hardened for long hours and high-stakes industrial settings remains to be seen.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
But Israeli opposition to a Palestinian state has only hardened since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
—Shira Efron, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Non-kinetic defenses (like jamming or hacking drones) don’t always work, especially against autonomous or hardened systems.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 Oct. 2025
Sullivan, the drill instructor whose hardened exterior conceals his own private battles.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Mann’s Heat starred Al Pacino as a hardened Los Angeles cop named Vincent Hanna who, ignoring his deteriorating personal life, is obsessed with tracking down career criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), who wants to pull off one last heist before retiring.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
Those hardened positions have quashed behind-the-scenes efforts by a group of moderate Democrats and Republicans to work out some sort of mutual understanding or soft deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Pueblo police began investigating the case in January 2024 after someone called 911 about a suspicious metal container filled with hardened concrete in a storage unit in the 600 block of West Sixth Street.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
Phrynoderma Vitamin A deficiency can lead to a skin condition called phrynoderma, a type of follicular hyperkeratosis that causes small, hardened bumps on areas of the body such as the shoulders, buttocks, elbows, and knees.
—Laura Schober, Health, 25 Sep. 2025
The series Witsec follows a DOJ lawyer and a hardened mob hitman, both fed up with the corrupt institutions around them, who form a precarious alliance to convict criminal titans and save lives in the rogue origins of the Witness Protection Program.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
The hardened sediment largely contained the mineral brucite — created through alkaline waste interacting with magnesium in the ocean water that resulted in the crust-like surface surrounding the barrels.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
If picked too early, before the skin has fully hardened, the squash may not be sweet and could be underdeveloped.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
Around the same time, Israeli strikes on Damascus and continued clashes in Sweida hardened the idea, inside parts of the Kurdish movement, that the center could break.
—Hassan Hassan, Time, 11 Oct. 2025
All of it hardened the Mariners, preparing them for survival.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Subsequent congressional investigations, post-campaign books, and news stories have only hardened public opinion that, with his mental acuity faltering and physical stamina limited, Biden should have stepped aside after a single term.
—David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Alarmed, Augustine hardened his doctrine of grace, becoming its great theorist.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025
Here, the situation has changed, leaving many of the gods either hardened or embittered by the conflict.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
Whether those capabilities can be extended and hardened for long hours and high-stakes industrial settings remains to be seen.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
But Israeli opposition to a Palestinian state has only hardened since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
—Shira Efron, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardened
Adjective
-
If possible, drive to a nearby sturdy building.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
If possible, drive to a nearby sturdy building.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
These two ingredients mixed together creates a powerful mixture perfect for lifting stubborn stains off grout because of their high cleaning and brightening properties.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Scientists have discovered a cleaner, faster way to recycle one of the world’s most stubborn plastics, not with heat or chemicals, but with sheer mechanical force.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
White froze, unsure what would happen next.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Everything froze in time until the ball crashed against the foul pole and kicked back into the playing field, making the stadium sound like the old place across the street sounded in the dynastic nineties.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The two college students (and daughters of Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan) live on opposite coasts, but say the health scare strengthened their already-tight connection.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Nevertheless, the stadium had by then become synonymous with big football occasions — a status that was only strengthened by three European Cup finals being staged between 1963 and 1971.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
McDaniel made the point that the Dolphins’ defensive line and run defense stiffened somewhat after struggling badly on the first drive.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Only on particularly bumpy tarmac did the GTS-spec suspension become too jarring with the adaptive dampers stiffened up in sport mode, but switching them to normal offered the best of both worlds—excellent, composed body control and tuning that ironed out imperfections remarkably well.—
Peter Nelson,
Robb Report,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
So, the minute the leaves start to drop, take it as your sign to tap into the harvest and dress your backyard or porch with stylish pumpkin decor and seasonal window boxes filled with hardy flowers.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Oct. 2025
-
With grief comes diminished critical thinking from even the hardiest of privacy diehards.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Paxton, however, has remained adamant that Roberson is guilty of murder.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Republicans remain adamant that any action on, and the details of, reviving the subsidies would have to wait until the government reopens.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Summit kept up the strong play as its defense forced and recovered a fumble from Dallas Simmons.—
Jordan Neal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardened. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share