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
In one-of-a-kind high-jewelry chokers and necklaces, the design is rendered in black diamond-like carbon, or DLC—a high-tech material known for its exceptional hardness and scratch-resistance that is often used in watchmaking—and combined with diamonds and yellow gold for an avant-garde look.
—
Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2026
This tiny snail’s shell combines hardness, toughness and energy dissipation in a way that very few single-phase materials can.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This included changing characteristics like the planets' sizes, the speed of their rotation, their internal heating, and the hardness of rotating fluid within their vortices.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Jan. 2026
This footwear has been in style since last year and can easily make a nice contrasting outfit with having a dark leather uppers, feature rounded or squared toes that bring a contrasting hardness to mom jeans’ light washes and high-waist fit.
—Aaron Royce, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2026
This tiny snail’s shell combines hardness, toughness and energy dissipation in a way that very few single-phase materials can.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This included changing characteristics like the planets' sizes, the speed of their rotation, their internal heating, and the hardness of rotating fluid within their vortices.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Jan. 2026
This footwear has been in style since last year and can easily make a nice contrasting outfit with having a dark leather uppers, feature rounded or squared toes that bring a contrasting hardness to mom jeans’ light washes and high-waist fit.
—Aaron Royce, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardness
Noun
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In the fictional Squid Game, the competition appealed particularly to those facing deep financial hardship.—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Mar. 2026
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Veterans typically must also submit financial information to demonstrate hardship during this process.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The war’s impact on inflation depends on its severity and duration as well as the magnitude of the disruption at the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow corridor through which one in five barrels of oil around the world flow.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
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The severity of McBride’s injury put more emphasis on the Knicks front office to fill the void behind Brunson.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Travelers are advised to check with their airline or travel agent as soon as possible for information on rebooking and refunds, though passengers are reporting difficulties getting assistance because of high caller volumes.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
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Despite those difficulties, Kalhor has built a thriving career both inside Iran and abroad, including winning a Grammy Award as part of the Silkroad Ensemble and earning three nominations as a solo artist.—
Anastasia Tsioulcas,
NPR,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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