hardening

present participle of harden
1
2
3
4
as in stiffening
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 hardening Three key lessons for protecting homes from wildfire emerged, two of them applying to individual homeowners hardening houses against fire, and clearing nearby flammable materials like plants and fences and one requiring communitywide action. Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025 Traditional security hardening is no longer enough to combat this threat. David Bennett, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025 And while the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stood defiant and unmoved by the hardening stance against it, the blowback against its citizens is certainly being felt. Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 23 Aug. 2025 This means hardening or abandoning coastal areas, developing crops that are resistant to droughts and extreme heat, building systems that can help farmers predict extreme weather, and finding new ways to conserve and reuse water. Veerabhadran Ramanathan, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2018 See All Example Sentences for hardening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardening
Verb
  • One of the most common was broken or outdated HVAC systems, often an expensive upgrade; freezing or overheated classrooms can be especially hard on students who can’t regulate their body temperatures, such as children with Down syndrome.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The most active period for tree sap flow is late winter or spring, when temperatures fluctuate widely between freezing nights and warm days.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The company’s 100 or so coaches primarily offer services within the romantic relationship context, from relationship strengthening to help for those looking to find a partner.
    Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2025
  • If a player had a weak hamstring, a strengthening programme would be put in place; the same can and should apply to the pelvic floor.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Afterwards, a squaring solution—a powdery mixture of water and a gel-like batter used in the decorative cake business—is applied to the inside of the hat’s crown to act as a stiffening agent.
    Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025
  • China has been a consistent source of stress for Apple, given the stiffening smartphone competition and its huge manufacturing presence in the country.
    Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hardening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardening. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on hardening

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!