harshens

verb

present tense third-person singular of harshen
as in strengthens
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 harshens
  1. strengthens
  2. stiffens
Verb
  • Restaurants can be a catalyst in fighting food insecurity by working alongside nonprofits and the city government to create a model that feeds New Yorkers and strengthens small businesses and the communities that serve them.
    — Matt Jozwiak, New York Daily News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • According to Coulomb’s law, which is the electric counterpart of Newton’s law of gravity, the electric field strengthens as the inverse square of distance.
    — George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of strengthens
Verb
  • Davidsen bucks up her balky husband with a bloodthirsty holler, stiffens her voice against doubt, and, in her final sleepwalking scene, taps into the tender stratum of Lady Macbeth’s subconscious.
    — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
  • This remains soft during low-energy movement but stiffens upon high-impact force.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 27 July 2026
Definition of stiffens
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

harshening
harshens
harshly
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Cite this Entry

“Harshens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshens. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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