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
Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
The greatest concern, however, is over the Ghwayran Prison in al-Hasakah, where thousands of hardened ISIS inmates are still being held.
—Omar Abdulkader, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
The Torah calls it a hardened heart.
—Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Microwave one cup of water for three to five minutes to soften hardened food residue, and allow the mixture to sit for up to 15 additional minutes, if needed.
—Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 9 Jan. 2026
The hardened lava flow is still visible aboveground; underwater, though, the reefs have rebounded.
—Gisela Williams, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026
That Washington won its season finale Sunday over the Eagles, playing mostly starters against mostly Eagles backups, could calcify a hardened heart — or, someone hoping the Commanders would rise up from the seventh pick in the first round of April’s draft.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 29 Dec. 2025
Use a dull knife or the edge of an old credit card to gently lift away the hardened wax.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
Perhaps a serious literary consideration of ambition, one that breaks through the shell of Millennial disillusionment that has hardened around the subject in recent years, would need to follow Orlean’s lead in focusing on craft.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Gel nail polish was developed by CND under the brand name Shellac and is a liquid polish that is cured and hardened under a UV lamp.
—Tori Crowther, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026
Celtic going 1-0 up, then 2-1 ahead will have had those doubts hardened.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
He was released, but the experience hardened his rage for the regime.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
In their study describing the findings, published in Ecology and Evolution, the authors argue that these later marks are brighter because male deer antlers have fully hardened and their rubs can expose more inner wood.
—Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Scientific American, 21 Jan. 2026
Systems can be hardened against cosmic radiation, and a sturdy spacecraft should be able to handle the stresses of launch, flight, and landing.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Jan. 2026
Since then, however, Ukraine has hardened its cyber defenses against such cyberattacks.
—Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
The greatest concern, however, is over the Ghwayran Prison in al-Hasakah, where thousands of hardened ISIS inmates are still being held.
—Omar Abdulkader, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
The Torah calls it a hardened heart.
—Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Microwave one cup of water for three to five minutes to soften hardened food residue, and allow the mixture to sit for up to 15 additional minutes, if needed.
—Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 9 Jan. 2026
The hardened lava flow is still visible aboveground; underwater, though, the reefs have rebounded.
—Gisela Williams, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026
That Washington won its season finale Sunday over the Eagles, playing mostly starters against mostly Eagles backups, could calcify a hardened heart — or, someone hoping the Commanders would rise up from the seventh pick in the first round of April’s draft.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 29 Dec. 2025
Use a dull knife or the edge of an old credit card to gently lift away the hardened wax.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
Verb
In any lesser performance, that character could’ve hardened into a villainous fairy-tale creature, the uncaring mother who has abandoned her child for the sake of her own unnatural career ambitions.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
Perhaps a serious literary consideration of ambition, one that breaks through the shell of Millennial disillusionment that has hardened around the subject in recent years, would need to follow Orlean’s lead in focusing on craft.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Gel nail polish was developed by CND under the brand name Shellac and is a liquid polish that is cured and hardened under a UV lamp.
—Tori Crowther, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026
Celtic going 1-0 up, then 2-1 ahead will have had those doubts hardened.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
He was released, but the experience hardened his rage for the regime.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
In their study describing the findings, published in Ecology and Evolution, the authors argue that these later marks are brighter because male deer antlers have fully hardened and their rubs can expose more inner wood.
—Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Scientific American, 21 Jan. 2026
Systems can be hardened against cosmic radiation, and a sturdy spacecraft should be able to handle the stresses of launch, flight, and landing.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Jan. 2026
Since then, however, Ukraine has hardened its cyber defenses against such cyberattacks.
—Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardened
Adjective
-
If possible, drive to a nearby sturdy building.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 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,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Experts warn that the stubborn metric has long-term implications for learning.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Wait 10 minutes before washing for milder stains or up to a week for more severe or stubborn stains.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Lake Superior almost froze over — at 92-96% ice coverage — during the 2013-14 ice season, according to Northern Michigan History.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
When was the last time the Ohio River froze over?—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
21 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
-
As the Timberwolves’ defense stiffened, their shots finally started falling.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Outrage from the left about that maneuver stiffened Democratic spirits for a confrontation in the fall.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Granite boulders and undulating rock formations surrounded by namesake Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) majestically reside among nearly 800 species of plants, from annually blooming wildflowers, to hardy bushes and palms, to 15 types of colorful and peculiar cacti.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Only hardy souls would venture down this path.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
New York — Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, a federal district judge ruled Friday, dealing a blow to US prosecutors who were adamant about pursuing the ultimate sentence.—
Kara Scannell,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
DeSantis has been adamant that his administration broke no laws.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Neighbors are now calling for a stronger police presence beyond the campus itself.—
Chelsea Jones,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The yen touched its strongest level since October in US trading Tuesday after comments from Japanese officials, including just recently the finance minister, fueled speculation that the government may intervene in the market to prevent the currency from resuming its decline.—
Mia Glass,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardened. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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