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.
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Recent Examples of hardened
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
If this group of hardened degenerates was able to enjoy the action at this level, who, exactly, are the spiritual victims of sports betting?
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
The facility was upgraded to a maximum-security prison and began housing some of the state's most hardened criminals, including those transferred from other facilities.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
The extruder gears and rods are made from hardened steel, which resists wear.
—PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
For hardened drops, saturate a cotton ball and place it on the drop for several minutes before wiping away.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 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
Kevin Krause, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
Renowned for their fun shape yet tooth-cracking texture that hardened with each passing day in the dish, ribbon candy was often a holiday season staple for many households.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2026
What began a couple of weeks ago with Tehran shopkeepers has spread nationwide and hardened into anti-regime demonstrations.
—The Wall Street Journal, Twin Cities, 6 Jan. 2026
The December 16, 2025, jobs report confirms that the stall observed since spring has hardened into a structural contraction.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
Liang, a former hedge-fund co-founder, had spent a decade buying up 10,000 all-important Nvidia GPUs before US export controls hardened, forming DeepSeek in 2023.
—New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
But, if the experience of the Oslo Accords—where Areas A, B, and C in the West Bank hardened from interim arrangements into a permanent cartography of control—is any guide, provisional lines drawn in the name of security almost never remain provisional.
—Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2025
Allow your candles to dry until fully hardened; then, gently pull the cookie cutter away from the candle.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Dec. 2025
Over time, the plaque becomes hardened, causing the arteries to narrow.
—Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 23 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Still, some military analysts remain cautious, noting that satellites are built to endure intense cosmic radiation with hardened components and shielding, leaving open the question of whether such directed energy could penetrate these defenses.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
If this group of hardened degenerates was able to enjoy the action at this level, who, exactly, are the spiritual victims of sports betting?
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
The facility was upgraded to a maximum-security prison and began housing some of the state's most hardened criminals, including those transferred from other facilities.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
The extruder gears and rods are made from hardened steel, which resists wear.
—PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
For hardened drops, saturate a cotton ball and place it on the drop for several minutes before wiping away.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 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
Verb
Polls show that most Americans believe that lengthy prison terms, which are costly to taxpayers, should be reserved for violent and hardened repeat offenders.
—Kevin Krause, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
Renowned for their fun shape yet tooth-cracking texture that hardened with each passing day in the dish, ribbon candy was often a holiday season staple for many households.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2026
What began a couple of weeks ago with Tehran shopkeepers has spread nationwide and hardened into anti-regime demonstrations.
—The Wall Street Journal, Twin Cities, 6 Jan. 2026
The December 16, 2025, jobs report confirms that the stall observed since spring has hardened into a structural contraction.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
Liang, a former hedge-fund co-founder, had spent a decade buying up 10,000 all-important Nvidia GPUs before US export controls hardened, forming DeepSeek in 2023.
—New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
But, if the experience of the Oslo Accords—where Areas A, B, and C in the West Bank hardened from interim arrangements into a permanent cartography of control—is any guide, provisional lines drawn in the name of security almost never remain provisional.
—Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2025
Allow your candles to dry until fully hardened; then, gently pull the cookie cutter away from the candle.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Dec. 2025
Over time, the plaque becomes hardened, causing the arteries to narrow.
—Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 23 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardened
Adjective
-
With sturdy construction, ample shelf space, and glass doors, china cabinets are excellent for storing and displaying delicate china sets, trinkets, decorative plates, heirloom decor, and more.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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 Jan. 2026
-
The vinegar cleaning method isn’t foolproof, and sometimes stubborn residue can remain on your microwave walls.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In implementing its measures, officials froze or changed at least 131 scholarships across UT System and Texas A&M University System institutions, which could no longer have race or gender criteria, the Dallas Morning News reported.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Before the new year, the federal Administration for Children and Families froze all funding to Minnesota.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The dialogue between past and present will be strengthened further with the opening of the Jewish Academy in the Westend district.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
-
When Mars and Venus are both in cazimi — activated by the sun in Capricorn — relationships may undergo a reset where intentions are clarified and commitments are either strengthened or redefined.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But Vance Joseph's unit adjusted and stiffened quickly, shouldering the entire weight of a football game.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Drew stiffened as Theo Wiggins headed his way.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Gardenia x daruma is an obscure dwarf hybrid that is hardy down to 20 degrees and, planted on its own, grows no more than three feet tall with small flowers and leaves.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
For nearly a decade, each of my winters has brought at least one trip to a mountain hut for a weekend with a hardy group of friends.—
The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Stephen Miller made these comments on CNN and was adamant that this would happen.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Although the film would have been far easier to finance if the production took place in another country, Hadi was adamant about shooting in his homeland.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Also at tight end, Jackson Verdugo, who had a strong freshman season, is due back, and FIU signed incoming freshmen Davis Brown and Ayden Passley.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Nicole says Hannah did get better and stronger — strong enough that Hannah's neurologist told her the whole story.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardened. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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