harshening

verb

present participle of harshen
as in strengthening
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe recent changes to the drunk driving laws harshen penalties for repeat offenders

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harshening
  1. strengthening
  2. stiffening
Verb
  • Philippine officials credit the transparency strategy with garnering international support for the Philippines and strengthening its military alliances.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • On the council, Raman gave the DSA some of its biggest policy wins, strengthening renter protections and passing a significant reform to the city’s rent stabilization ordinance.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026
Definition of strengthening
Verb
  • Not to mention their unusually flexible blood vessels could also help compensate for stiffening heart tissue.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Even simple movements can encourage healthy blood flow and keep fascia from stiffening up.
    — Jennifer Heimlich, Time, 27 July 2026
Definition of stiffening
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

harshened
harshening
harshens
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Cite this Entry

“Harshening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshening. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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