hardness

1 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 adversity, asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigorRelated Words discomfort, inconvenience, nuisance; affliction, trial, tribulation; knock, misfortune, mishap, tragedy; bar, catch, check, clog, crimp, embarrassment, handicap, hindrance, hitch, hurdle, impediment, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, pons asinorum, rub, shackle, snag, stop, trammel; block, chain, deterrent, encumbrance, fetter, inhibition; humpNear Antonyms advantage, break, opportunity

2 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 exactingness, severity, harshness, inflexibility, rigidity, rigidness, rigor, rigorousness, sternness, strictness, stringencyRelated Words callousness, hard-heartedness, implacability, obduracy, obdurateness, pitilessness; dourness, gruffness; asceticism, austereness, austerity, monasticism; determination, firmness, resolve, steadfastness; obstinacy, stubbornnessNear Antonyms forbearance, indulgence, kindness, lenience, patience, softness, tenderness, tolerance; responsiveness, willingness; compliance, pliability, pliancyAntonyms flexibility, gentleness, laxness, mildness