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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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
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
Honor has engineered a gel that rapidly hardens on impact to reduce the impact damage.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
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
Honor has engineered a gel that rapidly hardens on impact to reduce the impact damage.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardens
Verb
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Harry freezes and flashes back to his time in prison as a teenager.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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When the temperatures drop and the ground freezes in the winter, available water becomes limited.—
Heather Zidack,
Hartford Courant,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As Harvard Business Review notes, leaders who regularly reflect on their experiences gain self-awareness, which strengthens decision-making and leadership effectiveness.—
Scott Hutcheson,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
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Chelsea’s more identifiable structure strengthens them in possession and in defensive transition, which was Mauricio Pochettino’s big weakness as Maresca’s 2023-24 predecessor.—
Liam Twomey,
The Athletic,
23 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Hardens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardens. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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