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
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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 water’s mineral content and its softness or hardness comes into play with the fermenting process, Martin said.
—
Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
Martin has a true hardness in his game, attacking the high-percentage areas and is an extremely physical player.
—Corey Pronman, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
The column wheel is thermally blued, a process that not only enhances corrosion resistance but also increases surface hardness, and importantly - looks pleasing to the eye.
—Matthew Catellier, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
What are the limits for softness or hardness or smoothness or other characteristics of the material?
—Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
Martin has a true hardness in his game, attacking the high-percentage areas and is an extremely physical player.
—Corey Pronman, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
The column wheel is thermally blued, a process that not only enhances corrosion resistance but also increases surface hardness, and importantly - looks pleasing to the eye.
—Matthew Catellier, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
What are the limits for softness or hardness or smoothness or other characteristics of the material?
—Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardness
Noun
-
As one of six siblings raised by a single mother, Blatt has dealt with her share of hardships.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Frohling said some in the jury pool may face hardships, such as illness, death or travel, which could potentially excuse them.—
John Diedrich,
jsonline.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Kp is an index used to indicate the severity of the global magnetic disturbances in near-Earth space, NOAA said.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Brain scans revealed the severity of the bleeds and whether patients showed signs of cerebral small vessel disease, a condition that damages tiny blood vessels in the brain and is linked to aging, high blood pressure and dementia.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Their study on the jagged frontier shows that AI capability spikes and dips across activities rather than rising smoothly with difficulty.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
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Symptoms include breathing difficulties, fatigue and loss of taste.—
Stephanie Stahl,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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