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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
  • Open communication strengthens deterrence, prevents adversary miscalculation, and normalizes space operations alongside the other services.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • That likely strengthens the case for a Federal Reserve rate hike to tame inflation and prevent price increases from becoming more entrenched.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of strengthens
Verb
  • This remains soft during low-energy movement but stiffens upon high-impact force.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 27 July 2026
  • For seven-and-a-half years, Ladd had dealt with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive lung disease that stiffens and scars the lungs.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 24 June 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 19 Sep. 2026.

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