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
-
Defined as stress or anxiety tied to past financial hardships, financial trauma does not always look like bankruptcy or foreclosure.—
Alejandra Rojas,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
-
When asked whether the settlement came at a time of financial hardship for her family, Ventura denied this was the case.—
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento,
NPR,
16 May 2025
Noun
-
Class 2 obesity: This ranges from 35-39.9, with a moderate risk of severity.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
15 May 2025
-
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
Noun
-
Flip invented the Wheezer Scale for gauging the difficulty of hiking up hills.—
Flip Putthoff,
Arkansas Online,
20 May 2025
-
McCann compounds this difficulty by only sparingly engaging with digital life.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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