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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harshening
  1. strengthening
  2. stiffening
Verb
  • That means strengthening the connection between our clubs and their communities, creating unforgettable experiences for fans, and making sure the excitement generated this summer becomes lasting momentum for Major League Soccer.
    — Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The Cubs also improved to 32-15 since June 11, strengthening their hold on the top spot in the NL wild-card standings.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 5 Aug. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Harshening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshening. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All