1
as in freezing
to become physically firm or solid
the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air
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2
as in strengthening
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
pioneer women who had been hardened by years of living on the plains
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3
as in toughening
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
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4
as in stiffening
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
the government hardened restrictions on travel to and from the war-torn nation
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Example Sentences
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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
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Hardening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardening. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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