Synonyms of hardens

hardens

verb

present tense third-person singular of harden

1

as in freezes

to become physically firm or solid

the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air

Synonyms & Similar Words

• freezes
• stiffens
• solidifies
• congeals
• firms (up)
• concretes
• thickens
• sets
• crystallizes
• coagulates
• gels
• encrusts
• indurates
• petrifies
• gelatinizes
• calcifies
• cakes
• calluses
• ossifies
• jells
• jellies
• anneals
• clots
• tempers
• rigidifies
• gelates
• case-hardens

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• softens
• liquefies
• melts
• dissolves
• thaws
• fuses
• smelts
• unfreezes
• fluxes
• deliquesces

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strengthens
• toughens
• fortifies
• inures
• adjusts
• steels
• adapts
• seasons
• reinforces
• bolsters
• invigorates
• indurates
• anneals
• enforces
• acclimates
• tempers
• vitalizes
• braces
• immunizes
• acclimatizes
• accustoms
• conditions
• habituates
• boosts
• buttresses
• naturalizes
• supports
• forearms
• breaks in
• props (up)
• trains
• limbers (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• softens
• weakens
• exhausts
• saps
• incapacitates
• cripples
• enfeebles
• sensitizes
• emasculates
• enervates
• debilitates
• hamstrings

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strengthens
• toughens
• fortifies
• beefs (up)
• anneals
• tempers
• energizes
• invigorates
• firms (up)
• vitalizes
• tones (up)
• restrengthens

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• weakens
• hurts
• paralyzes
• impairs
• injures
• cripples
• damages
• debilitates
• harms
• enervates
• enfeebles
• undermines
• incapacitates
• breaks down
• undercuts
• wears out
• saps

4

as in stiffens

to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe

the government hardened restrictions on travel to and from the war-torn nation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stiffens
• strengthens
• toughens
• harshens

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• eases
• lessens
• softens
• moderates
• ameliorates

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hardens

As patterns become clear and predictable, the organization hardens them into deterministic rules. — Jakob Freund, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

Practically overnight, Sylvia’s cozy attitude toward the girl hardens into coolness, impatience and neglect. — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 16 June 2026

Beth's expression immediately hardens. — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026

The observations revealed a temporary chemical pathway that reshapes how the material hardens. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026

The process relies on urushi, a natural lacquer derived from tree sap that hardens over time into a durable, food-safe coating. — Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026

Tissue culture is a cloning process where, for orchids, shoot tips and axillary or side buds are sterilized and placed on agar — a jelly-like material that hardens into a firm gel — that contains plant nutrients and hormones. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 14 May 2026

Even polls showing a tight race assume near‑universal Democratic support for the independent—a condition that may not fully materialize if Burbank does not follow through on plans to withdraw or if partisan polarization hardens late in the cycle. — Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2026

Traditional bridge construction in Iran, Oman, and Afghanistan often involved the use of sarooj, a special hydraulic mortar (a mortar that hardens on contact with water) made of lime, clay, sand, and, in some recipes, gypsum. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026