1
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
the test questions were rated for hardness, a rating of five indicating the most difficult
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in severity
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
the aunt's hardness gradually crumbled under the influence of the little orphan's endearing ways
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardness
Generally speaking, high-quality Western knives have 59-62 HRC, a measurement of the hardness of materials, whereas Japanese knives’ HRC ranges from 60 to 65.
—
Akiko Katayama, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
The hardness enables the blades to be sharpened at a much steeper angle than Western knives.
—Akiko Katayama, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Barnaby is working with a team on improving radiation hardness in FinFETs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2024
The severity of water spots varies depending on your local water hardness.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Akiko Katayama, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
The hardness enables the blades to be sharpened at a much steeper angle than Western knives.
—Akiko Katayama, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Barnaby is working with a team on improving radiation hardness in FinFETs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2024
The severity of water spots varies depending on your local water hardness.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardness
Noun
-
Colvin’s perseverance through these hardships captured media attention and was eventually portrayed in the major motion picture, When the Game Stands Tall.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
11 Aug. 2025
-
As shared by the team on social media, the Fever went out and signed Odyssey Sims to a hardship contract following the most recent injuries.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The speedy identification of cases can affect whether a person is eligible for post-exposure treatments, too, which can limit the severity of the disease and sometimes prevent illness altogether.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
Freep.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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However, the company has now reduced this forecast to just $16 per share — a nearly 47% decrease that underscores the severity of the company’s operational struggles.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Morocco's desert landscape will add to the difficulty of the training exercises.—
Emmett Prosser,
jsonline.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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Perhaps the most effective source of comfort to Colwill in the coming weeks and months will be the difficulty Chelsea have replacing him.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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