1
as in freezes
to become physically firm or solid
the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strengthens
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 toughens
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 stiffens
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 hardens
Lee Harvey Oswald folding under Jack Ruby’s bullet—a split second that hardens into our collective memory.
—
Christopher Anderson, Vanity Fair, 27 Feb. 2026
The snow eventually hardens like a concrete entombment.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
As temperature rises, these vibrations intensify, creating a more chaotic, more resistant barrier that paradoxically hardens the metal’s surface against high-speed stress.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
As a result, the product hardens, strengthens, and smooths brittle, peeling nails.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
The regime shapes us into its likeness, hardens the heart.
—Azar Nafisi, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The presence of an external enemy unifies the security forces, hardens their resolve, prevents defections, and makes internal fractures less likely.
—Omid Memarian, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026
The shoots are harvested before the plant hardens into the woody stalks that bamboo is famous for — and that pandas chew.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Then the storm moves on, the sun returns, and the surface hardens again, cracked and chalky, as if the place is trying to erase the evidence that water ever touched it.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
Christopher Anderson, Vanity Fair, 27 Feb. 2026
The snow eventually hardens like a concrete entombment.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
As temperature rises, these vibrations intensify, creating a more chaotic, more resistant barrier that paradoxically hardens the metal’s surface against high-speed stress.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
As a result, the product hardens, strengthens, and smooths brittle, peeling nails.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
The regime shapes us into its likeness, hardens the heart.
—Azar Nafisi, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The presence of an external enemy unifies the security forces, hardens their resolve, prevents defections, and makes internal fractures less likely.
—Omid Memarian, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026
The shoots are harvested before the plant hardens into the woody stalks that bamboo is famous for — and that pandas chew.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Then the storm moves on, the sun returns, and the surface hardens again, cracked and chalky, as if the place is trying to erase the evidence that water ever touched it.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardens
Verb
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He’s successfully advocated for creating new incentives for affordable housing construction and automatically renewing a program that freezes property values for some seniors, heading off big bill spikes from rising property values.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
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But there's nothing in nature that freezes your heart like years of being alone.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The location also strengthens the company’s ability to coordinate both local and long-distance relocations while maintaining direct oversight of equipment and personnel.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
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The win not only snaps a three-game losing streak but also strengthens UCF’s NCAA Tournament resume with Selection Sunday a few days away.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What began as breathlessness hardened into silicosis, an irreversible disease that stiffens the lungs until even ordinary movement becomes effort.—
Dr. Céline Gounder,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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The luxury retailer, weighed down by debt, is under pressure as consumers shift their shopping habits and competition stiffens.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardens. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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