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
George Avalos, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Technology challenges Both these systems are aimed at delivering strategic strike capability for neutralizing high-value, time-sensitive targets such as hardened command and control nodes, integrated air defense systems, and critical infrastructure facilities.
—Adityajadhav, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
Joan of Arc armor in the form of hardened corsets, even breastplates, were built into a number of dresses.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 May 2026
Scrape off any hardened grease and wash it with soap and water before your next barbecue session.
—Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 May 2026
With Hathaway as a hardened journalist who haplessly lands herself into the center of a conflict in El Salvador, the film is somewhat at sea, allowing itself and the audience to get swept away by an unmoored plot.
—Chris Feil, Vulture, 1 May 2026
They were armed with powerful, hardened beaks and likely had high intelligence.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
Hot water is especially helpful for greasy pans, oily dishes, or anything with hardened food residue.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
In that sense, the discussion around hardened container images reflects a larger shift.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Its purpose is to ensure that the questions before state legislators, members of Congress, and federal agencies are the right questions, asked in the right order, before another five hundred bills are introduced and a patchwork is hardened in place that no one designed and few defend.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Scores of hardened, dangerous criminals are being paroled every year thanks to the Massachusetts Parole Board appointed by liberal Democrat Maura Healey.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
Trade and tariff disputes, technology restrictions, and security tensions, from the Taiwan Strait to the broader Asia-Pacific, have hardened attitudes on both sides.
—Yu Jie, Time, 13 May 2026
Indoor seeds can be started a little earlier—about two to three weeks before the last frost date—but shouldn’t be moved outside until two weeks after the last frost date when they are properly hardened off, and temperatures are consistently above 65°F.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2026
Locals, even some hardened to the realities of big-time sports, bought into Kiffin’s genuine affection for the people and the place.
—Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
But diplomatic relations hardened over the following months, as progress on ending the war appeared to stall.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 10 May 2026
The airstrike on the Haret Hreik neighborhood targeted the leader of the Radwan forces, Hezbollah’s elite and battle-hardened fighting unit, Israeli authorities said.
—Mohamad El Chamaa, Washington Post, 6 May 2026
Adjective
Shockwave makes a catheter that emits localized sonic pressure waves to crack hardened plaque in arteries.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Technology challenges Both these systems are aimed at delivering strategic strike capability for neutralizing high-value, time-sensitive targets such as hardened command and control nodes, integrated air defense systems, and critical infrastructure facilities.
—Adityajadhav, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
Joan of Arc armor in the form of hardened corsets, even breastplates, were built into a number of dresses.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 May 2026
Scrape off any hardened grease and wash it with soap and water before your next barbecue session.
—Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 May 2026
With Hathaway as a hardened journalist who haplessly lands herself into the center of a conflict in El Salvador, the film is somewhat at sea, allowing itself and the audience to get swept away by an unmoored plot.
—Chris Feil, Vulture, 1 May 2026
They were armed with powerful, hardened beaks and likely had high intelligence.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
Hot water is especially helpful for greasy pans, oily dishes, or anything with hardened food residue.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
In that sense, the discussion around hardened container images reflects a larger shift.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
Franchise art director Rasmus Poulsen has described it as a Bond who has experienced personal tragedy but hasn't yet been hardened by the darker side of spycraft.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Its purpose is to ensure that the questions before state legislators, members of Congress, and federal agencies are the right questions, asked in the right order, before another five hundred bills are introduced and a patchwork is hardened in place that no one designed and few defend.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Scores of hardened, dangerous criminals are being paroled every year thanks to the Massachusetts Parole Board appointed by liberal Democrat Maura Healey.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
Trade and tariff disputes, technology restrictions, and security tensions, from the Taiwan Strait to the broader Asia-Pacific, have hardened attitudes on both sides.
—Yu Jie, Time, 13 May 2026
Indoor seeds can be started a little earlier—about two to three weeks before the last frost date—but shouldn’t be moved outside until two weeks after the last frost date when they are properly hardened off, and temperatures are consistently above 65°F.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2026
Locals, even some hardened to the realities of big-time sports, bought into Kiffin’s genuine affection for the people and the place.
—Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
But diplomatic relations hardened over the following months, as progress on ending the war appeared to stall.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 10 May 2026
The airstrike on the Haret Hreik neighborhood targeted the leader of the Radwan forces, Hezbollah’s elite and battle-hardened fighting unit, Israeli authorities said.
—Mohamad El Chamaa, Washington Post, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardened
Adjective
-
Reintroduced as Aqua Lares in late 2025, the 254-footer is comfortable in the harshest of environments, with a sturdy ice-class hull that can power through practically anything.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
15 May 2026
-
Optimize the wall space by placing belts and bags on sturdy hooks.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Abby, how does one work with stubborn husbands?—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
-
Ahead, Katie Sullivan, the director of issue communications at the American Cleaning Institute, shares the best way to remove sticky, greasy residue from pot lids, at-home solutions for tackling even the most stubborn residue, and the one mistake to avoid that can make cleanup more difficult.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
How the Slurpee became an American staple The Slurpee traces its roots back to the 1960s, when businessman Omar Knedlik developed a machine that partially froze soft drinks after noticing customers enjoyed semi-frozen sodas at his Dairy Queen franchise in Kansas.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
As a result, Pashinyan froze Armenia’s membership in the CSTO in February 2024.—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Like Armenia, Kazakhstan has also strengthened its relationship with Western countries and organizations while slowly distancing itself from the Russian Federation.—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
Its presence has strengthened the country’s military capacity and helped stabilize the regime, at least temporarily, according to Nsaibia.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
The journey of King Charles and the Queen consort had been planned for some time, well before relations between the United Kingdom and the United States stiffened due to international tensions, compounded by the assassination attempt on Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.—
Giorgia Olivieri,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
-
June stiffened, a pillar of ice.—
Meredith Maran,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Other heuchera species and hardy hybrid plants offer a greater range of colors, although some are not as cold-hardy and are more sensitive to soil and sun conditions.—
Judy Nauseef,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
-
As a hardy plant that can withstand cold temperatures and even frost, DePaola explains, asparagus also thrives in areas with cool winters and warm summers.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Board president Kevin Smith said the poll workers took the correct actions with the adamant voter and Thursday’s board vote corrected his attempt to vote a second time.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
And Meg [Marinis] was very adamant.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Lewis-Skelly and Calafiori continued to provide balance against Atletico three days later, and were also key components to Arsenal’s strong start against West Ham, alongside Leandro Trossard.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
The case that Ashton and Bradley heavily influenced each other is stronger, if also strained.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardened. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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