1
as in vigor
active strength of body or mind
the 80-year-old grandmother attributes her hardihood to having eaten a cup of yogurt every day for the past 50 years
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in courage
strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger
the explorers were driven by an almost reckless hardihood in the face of the unknown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardihood
My father had been a leading Mountaineer and would still maintain the general superiority in skill and hardihood of the Above Boys (his own faction) over the Below Boys (so were they called), of which party his contemporary had been a chieftain.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2022
There is little question that Reagan, for all his physical hardihood and strength of will, was no longer up to the task of serving a third term beginning in 1989.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 18 Sep. 2020
And yet Andrew Johnson, with unblushing hardihood, undertook to rule them by his own power alone.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019
Someone died today in Virginia in a racial terrorist attack, and our President had the audacity, the hardihood to continue to hew to the line of dog whistling racist dogma.
—Angela Helm, The Root, 12 Aug. 2017
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2022
There is little question that Reagan, for all his physical hardihood and strength of will, was no longer up to the task of serving a third term beginning in 1989.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 18 Sep. 2020
And yet Andrew Johnson, with unblushing hardihood, undertook to rule them by his own power alone.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019
Someone died today in Virginia in a racial terrorist attack, and our President had the audacity, the hardihood to continue to hew to the line of dog whistling racist dogma.
—Angela Helm, The Root, 12 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardihood
Noun
-
Flowers that are well-suited to your garden’s growing conditions and that have a tendency to spread aggressively will do so with vigor.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
-
Fertilizer is a great way to improve the vigor of pothos, but too much can do more harm than good.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Even in a cautious world, courage occupies a permanent place.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Watching together gives parents a chance to support kids in thinking critically about social dynamics and how to respond with kindness and courage.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Russia struck Ukrainian energy assets in several regions of Ukraine on Thursday but there were no strikes on those facilities overnight, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Beijing has spent decades growing its trade ties and bankrolling projects in the region, to boost transportation links and cut energy costs – cementing its own influence along the way.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Israel — home to more Holocaust survivors than any other country — marks its remembrance day, Yom HaShoah, on the anniversary of the April 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, emphasizing the heroism of the Jewish insurgents who resisted the Nazi terror.—
Vanessa Gera,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
This movie has positive themes of heroism, courage, and the power of family and prayer.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But the bravery of ordinary people has shown that Americans have not forgotten the power of loving their neighbors.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Friday, August 29 Caseem Wongus is honored during the Philadelphia Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park for his bravery the night of the crash.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a quixotic gallantry to appealing to a saner conservative and looking ahead to a post-Trump American politics.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Queen Elizabeth later awarded Beaton the George's Cross, Britain’s highest civilian award for gallantry, for his role in saving her daughter’s life, and bestowed honors on Callender, as well as the other policemen and onlookers who intervened.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
That mix of stubbornness and courageousness is what endeared Snider to fans and peers alike.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
15 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardihood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardihood. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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