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
Its replaceable filters will help reduce water hardness.
—
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Depending on your water hardness, the humidifier will need a deep cleaning from time to time.
—John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
There’s an almost paradoxical tension between the lushness of the melody and the hardness of the drums, between something very raw and something very sophisticated.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
All the surface performance tests – ball bounce, rotational resistance and surface hardness – on these eight carpets also met FIFA standards.
—Ryan Bearss, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Depending on your water hardness, the humidifier will need a deep cleaning from time to time.
—John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
There’s an almost paradoxical tension between the lushness of the melody and the hardness of the drums, between something very raw and something very sophisticated.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
All the surface performance tests – ball bounce, rotational resistance and surface hardness – on these eight carpets also met FIFA standards.
—Ryan Bearss, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardness
Noun
-
The couples who navigate advanced prostate cancer most successfully aren’t the ones who avoid hardship.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
-
CoAction serves individuals and families from infancy through older adulthood who are experiencing financial hardship, working to create a Northwest Indiana where people can flourish regardless of income, ability, or age.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Jamie Lynn Spears is opening up about the severity of her daughter's 2017 near-fatal ATV accident.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
-
At the time, the severity of the ruling reflected the enormous scale of Lan’s fraud as well as efforts by authorities to restore investor trust.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
The only opposition came from James Eadie, a licensed pyrotechnic operator, who said hobby rocket users could have difficulty complying with the bill because many local governments do not have permitting processes for storing small quantities of rocket motors.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
-
Someone with severe disease can experience confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and seizures, and the CDC says approximately one in 10 people with severe disease die.—
Emily Vetter,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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