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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardness
The severity of water spots varies depending on your local water hardness.
—
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
The hardness of seats, even those that recline flat into a bed, is a common pain point for many customers on long-haul flights.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
Routine tests are ran every few hours to check water quality through pH, chlorine, phosphate, fluoride, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium hardness, turbidity and the Langelier Saturation Index, which determines water balance.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2025
Also add calcium chloride if the water's calcium level (hardness) is too low.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
The hardness of seats, even those that recline flat into a bed, is a common pain point for many customers on long-haul flights.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
Routine tests are ran every few hours to check water quality through pH, chlorine, phosphate, fluoride, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium hardness, turbidity and the Langelier Saturation Index, which determines water balance.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2025
Also add calcium chloride if the water's calcium level (hardness) is too low.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardness
Noun
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Individuals facing hardship or without access to digital payment methods can apply for exemptions, which are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
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Derrick McCray wasn’t about to let sickness, death and hardship derail a 91-year-old barbecue dynasty, not after all his restaurant achieved: catering 18 straight Super Bowls, serving ribs to U.S. presidents and standing as a safe haven through the civil rights era.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
14 July 2025
Noun
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While relapse of multiple myeloma is regarded as inevitable, the timing and severity vary widely.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
14 July 2025
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But in the meantime, relatives could only guess the severity of the injury by observing the facial expressions of Nuggets personnel.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
13 July 2025
Noun
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The logistical difficulty of smuggling datacenter-grade hardware is often underestimated; these GPUs arrive preassembled into racks that can weigh over 3,600 pounds, making physical diversion highly impractical.—
Patrick Moorhead,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Almost from the start, however, the project faced difficulties due to the fact that NTE Energy continued to hold the certificate of approval from the siting council to develop the property for a power plant — despite having since gone out of business.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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