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
The confession struck him as both raw and deeply tragic, a glimpse of how ambition hardens into captivity.
—
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Another team hardens those that show promise, building in compliance and integration from the beginning.
—Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
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
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Another team hardens those that show promise, building in compliance and integration from the beginning.
—Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardens
Verb
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Root vegetables benefit from being harvested after a frost but before the ground freezes.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
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Gravy freezes well, and takes this last-minute task off your to-do list.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Besides promoting pain-free movement, building your back muscles strengthens the supporting muscles that aid in posture and stability.—
Leoni Jesner,
Health,
1 Nov. 2025
-
Hunt believes his long-standing friendship with Mahomes only strengthens their on-field chemistry.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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High-Cholesterol Foods Foods high in cholesterol can negatively affect blood pressure, contributing to atherosclerosis (plaque buildup that narrows and stiffens the arteries).—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Health,
28 Oct. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Hardens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardens. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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