HARSH Synonyms: 357 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'harsh' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of harsh are rough , rugged , scabrous , and uneven . While all these words mean "not smooth or even," harsh implies a surface or texture distinctly unpleasant to the touch. // a harsh fabric that chafes the skin

Q: When might 'rough' be a better fit than 'harsh'?

Although the words rough and harsh have much in common, rough implies points, bristles, ridges, or projections on the surface. // a rough wooden board

Q: When could 'rugged' be used to replace 'harsh'?

While in some cases nearly identical to harsh , rugged implies irregularity or roughness of land surface and connotes difficulty of travel. // a rugged landscape

Q: When is 'scabrous' a more appropriate choice than 'harsh'?

The words scabrous and harsh are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, scabrous implies scaliness or prickliness of surface. // a scabrous leaf

Q: Where would 'uneven' be a reasonable alternative to 'harsh'?

In some situations, the words uneven and harsh are roughly equivalent. However, uneven implies a lack of uniformity in height, breadth, or quality. // an old house with uneven floors

harsh

adjective

ˈhärsh

Definition of harsh next

as in tough

difficult to endure harsh conditions in the refugee camp

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in loud

disagreeable to one's aesthetic or artistic sense the harsh lighting in the cafeteria makes the food look slightly off-color

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as in uncomfortable

causing discomfort the harsh northern climate

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as in strict

given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint a harsh judge when it comes to drug users and especially drug dealers

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as in painful

hard to accept or bear especially emotionally the harsh reality of failure harsh words of criticism from her music teacher

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as in unpleasant

not giving pleasure to the mind or senses winced at the harsh sound that the beginner violinist was making

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective harsh contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of harsh are rough, rugged, scabrous, and uneven. While all these words mean "not smooth or even," harsh implies a surface or texture distinctly unpleasant to the touch.

a harsh fabric that chafes the skin

When might rough be a better fit than harsh?

Although the words rough and harsh have much in common, rough implies points, bristles, ridges, or projections on the surface.

a rough wooden board

When could rugged be used to replace harsh?

While in some cases nearly identical to harsh, rugged implies irregularity or roughness of land surface and connotes difficulty of travel.

a rugged landscape

When is scabrous a more appropriate choice than harsh?

The words scabrous and harsh are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, scabrous implies scaliness or prickliness of surface.

a scabrous leaf

Where would uneven be a reasonable alternative to harsh?

In some situations, the words uneven and harsh are roughly equivalent. However, uneven implies a lack of uniformity in height, breadth, or quality.

an old house with uneven floors

Examples of harsh in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Hundreds of thousands have remained in the north despite the harsh conditions, leading Israel to order another total evacuation in recent days. —

Bassem Mroue and Tia Goldenberg, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2024 Currently, Combs is sitting in the infamously harsh Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. —

Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2024 But now, seemingly nowhere is safe, and the journalists who are left are operating in harsh conditions and having to contend with just surviving in an active war zone. —

Hadas Gold, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024 The duty to file an FBAR can come as a surprise in many instances and IRS has been very harsh in assessing penalties for failures. —

Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.d., Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for harsh

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'harsh.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.