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
These tests test for coliform bacteria, lead, arsenic, uranium, nitrates, sodium, chloride, fluoride, pH, hardness, sulfate, turbidity, iron, and manganese.
—
Alec Janis, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
Add a Magnetic Water Conditioner Like a water softener, a magnetic water conditioner controls the hardness of the water in the home.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2025
Reynolds lends a hardness to Masha, at once bitter and comic, and her leading of a game of bingo at the play’s resolution restores some dark humor just as tragedy is about to strike.
—Demetrios Matheou, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
Calcium is instrumental for developing strong bones and teeth, supplying both structure and hardness to your physical architecture.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Alec Janis, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
Add a Magnetic Water Conditioner Like a water softener, a magnetic water conditioner controls the hardness of the water in the home.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2025
Reynolds lends a hardness to Masha, at once bitter and comic, and her leading of a game of bingo at the play’s resolution restores some dark humor just as tragedy is about to strike.
—Demetrios Matheou, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
Calcium is instrumental for developing strong bones and teeth, supplying both structure and hardness to your physical architecture.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardness
Noun
-
Her writing style combines careful historical detail with moving personal recollection, allowing readers to vicariously experience the grueling training, camaraderie, and hardships of St. Gertrude's Hospital School of Nursing’s nursing students, more commonly referred to as St. Trudy's students.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
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This is a sweet story all about family legacy, authentic food, and fighting to preserve both in the face of hardship.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
8 May 2025
Noun
-
Recalls are typically classified by severity, and while not all involve immediate danger, they are carried out as a precaution to protect public health.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
-
Class 2 obesity: This ranges from 35-39.9, with a moderate risk of severity.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
15 May 2025
Noun
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The broader issue is that the Cubs may have difficulties finding an upgrade.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
-
Listen to Booster and Yang talk about the difficulty of working alongside their cutie costars in the podcast episode above.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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