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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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of harsh By all accounts, Atwell, 43, thrived in that harsh environment. Jack Smart, People.com, 22 May 2025 And in that context, any defensive player who comes in hard risks incurring an unnecessary roughness penalty for contact deemed too harsh, even if the whistle hasn’t yet blown. Michael Silver, New York Times, 21 May 2025 This garment gets exposed to harsher conditions than most clothing. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 May 2025 More precipitation in these locations could make up for the harsh cold season. Jordan-Marie Smith, NPR, 11 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for harsh
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harsh
Adjective
  • Being a careless jackass but also irresistibly charming is a tough needle to thread.
    Staff Author Published, EW.com, 22 May 2025
  • Johnson has been on a winning streak this year with Trump in the White House and backing him repeatedly to muscle through a series of very tough votes on the slimmest of majorities.
    Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • But due to noise from the venue next door, which was playing loud music amid a competing bar, Bruni bailed even after the musicians were assembled on stage.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025
  • Literal flames surrounded the glow, both repelling and drawing you in more, followed by two loud, disorienting thumps.
    Christopher Rosa, Glamour, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • But after a smattering of deeply uncomfortable and boundary-crossing hangs, Austin decides to sever ties with Craig, who slowly loses his mind trying to win back his erstwhile buddy.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 May 2025
  • The film is also an introspective interrogation of Cruise's stardom, confronting its main character with uncomfortable realities: his world is artificial, insulated, and fleeting, and his multimillion-dollar good looks could disappear in an instant.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • Under the measure's broad scope and strict distance limits, few areas in Ohio would remain open to such purchases.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
  • Every lens test follows strict real-world testing, where every feature and all functions are tested to assess overall performance.
    James Abbott, Space.com, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Their boyfriends, meanwhile, suffer the painful indignities of paper cutters, buzzsaws, and other sharp objects.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 23 May 2025
  • Advertisement Advertisement There is a long and painful history of antisemitism being treated as an afterthought—even in spaces devoted to human rights and justice.
    Jay Rosenzweig, Time, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Best Smelling Photograph: Kristin Canning Grand Tongo Green Tea + Mint Insect Repellent $15 Amazon After testing nearly 20 different bug sprays (that pretty much all smelled at least a little unpleasant and chemical-y), this picaridin spray from Grand Tongo truly blew me away.
    Kristin Canning, Wired News, 21 May 2025
  • Today after dropping off groceries, my wife noted that the refrigerator, in her opinion, had an unpleasant odor.
    Eric Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • Contracts of adhesion are sometimes seen as oppressive, especially in the consumer context, but courts often regard them as enforceable.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 May 2025
  • The United States held Qaddafi’s Libya up as a success story in the global war on terror, a former rogue state that had made amends for its murderous past, relinquished its nuclear-weapons program and reoriented its oppressive state apparatus around American foreign-policy priorities.
    Henry Leutwyler Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • Compare the first half of Season 15 to Jodie Whittaker’s last outing as the Doctor, and things get uglier.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 23 May 2025
  • The birds' droppings end up on the ground and windows below, creating an ugly scene for staff, branch patrons and passersby walking in the River Market District.
    Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Harsh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harsh. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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