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
When a partner continually feels trapped behind excuses or counterattacks, the original frustration then hardens into resentment.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
But as Beijing hardens its ties with Russia, North Korea and other nations unfriendly to the West, the emergence of two camps and the contest between them appears clearer than ever.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Veith realized this reversible property, known as shear thickening, could be used to create a protective additive that instantly hardens under impact, dramatically reducing the risk of fires in lithium-ion batteries.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025
Uniting Prevention and Detection Traditional cybersecurity strategies often treat prevention and detection as separate undertakings—one team hardens systems to repel threats, while another prepares to identify and respond to breaches that slip through the cracks.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Another approach involves injecting the material directly into the deficit, in the form of a gel that subsequently hardens into a solid.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2025
Seeing and decrying enemies at every turn inevitably hardens those opponents against you.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
Cancer Black Moon Lilith in Cancer hardens their heart as a form of emotional protection.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 3 Oct. 2024
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
But as Beijing hardens its ties with Russia, North Korea and other nations unfriendly to the West, the emergence of two camps and the contest between them appears clearer than ever.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Veith realized this reversible property, known as shear thickening, could be used to create a protective additive that instantly hardens under impact, dramatically reducing the risk of fires in lithium-ion batteries.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025
Uniting Prevention and Detection Traditional cybersecurity strategies often treat prevention and detection as separate undertakings—one team hardens systems to repel threats, while another prepares to identify and respond to breaches that slip through the cracks.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Another approach involves injecting the material directly into the deficit, in the form of a gel that subsequently hardens into a solid.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2025
Seeing and decrying enemies at every turn inevitably hardens those opponents against you.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
Cancer Black Moon Lilith in Cancer hardens their heart as a form of emotional protection.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 3 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardens
Verb
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Early this year, the Danish Defense Intelligence Service assessed the risk from Russia once its Ukraine war stops or freezes in place.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
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Water enough to keep the roots moist but not soggy, about once every two weeks until the soil freezes.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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By opening international doors for both new and established filmmakers, the award strengthens Netflix’s support for the creative community and boosts the global reach of Brazilian storytelling.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2025
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Equity capital strengthens the balance sheet but does not count as revenue, which helps explain why Williams could raise substantial funds in the year yet still report a loss.—
Alex Harrington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the schedule stiffens up next week with the start of 4A South Metro League play as Heritage, Ponderosa and Dakota Ridge all loom in October.—
Matt Schubert,
Denver Post,
26 Sep. 2025
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In a similar way, a man who is defiant stiffens his neck, squares his shoulders, lowers his brows, and clenches his fists with his knuckles forward.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardens. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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