1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
there was a harshness about her voice that made her an unlikely but surprisingly evocative singer of torch songs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in severity
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
was surprised at the harshness of the choirmaster's criticism, since he was usually pretty easygoing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harshness
Sunlight naturally sanitizes, and air drying prevents the harshness of high heat.
—
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
The tinted visor that Morgan Geekie wore for two games against the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars in January could help mute the lights’ harshness.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Seoul 1988 Retinal Eye Cream Viral for using retinal (stronger than retinol) in a liposome delivery system for smoother texture without harshness.
—Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The noise cancellation is legendary, and the sound is balanced and clean, with no weird bass boosting or treble harshness.
—PC Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
The harshness of the rhetoric reflects just how much Moscow stands to lose if the deal holds and TRIPP become a reality.
—Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Middleton aimed to create a score that reflects the harshness and hope of the desert setting.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Oct. 2025
The harshness of the language and the raw politicking shocked voters.
—Matt Klink, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
But despite the parched landscape and the harshness of the sea, the place felt welcoming.
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
The tinted visor that Morgan Geekie wore for two games against the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars in January could help mute the lights’ harshness.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Seoul 1988 Retinal Eye Cream Viral for using retinal (stronger than retinol) in a liposome delivery system for smoother texture without harshness.
—Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The noise cancellation is legendary, and the sound is balanced and clean, with no weird bass boosting or treble harshness.
—PC Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
The harshness of the rhetoric reflects just how much Moscow stands to lose if the deal holds and TRIPP become a reality.
—Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Middleton aimed to create a score that reflects the harshness and hope of the desert setting.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Oct. 2025
The harshness of the language and the raw politicking shocked voters.
—Matt Klink, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
But despite the parched landscape and the harshness of the sea, the place felt welcoming.
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harshness
Noun
-
Seeing a former flame with someone else brings out a jealous bitterness that eats at Lou, which is hard not to relate to as a millennial audience member with a heart.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
-
In 2019, Spanish geneticists mapped the genomes of bitter and sweet almonds and determined that a single gene was responsible for almond bitterness.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Analyst Michael Leininger, a former San Jose police detective, said standard law enforcement rules in similar situations require officers to consider the severity of the offense and whether the individual is identifiable and can be arrested at a later time.—
Hema Sivanandam,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The severity of the resulting injury depends on, among countless other variables, how the electricity enters the body, and where, and the path the current takes through it.—
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Located conveniently next to the ski lockers, Double Blacks is a great coffee shop perfect for caffeine cravings and quick bites.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The dough was light and airy with a crispy bite and minimal flop.—
Jamie,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Samara Weaving returns with sharper edges, this time facing off against four families in a plot that veers toward global domination.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The neighborhood/area Hotel June sits at the northern edge of Malibu, just a few minutes from the Pacific Coast Highway, putting the coast and Santa Monica Bay at your doorstep.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The aesthetic favors deliberate roughness and mistakes over a sterile, polished sheen.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Whether bumps or pits, roughness or a distinct lack of luminosity, uneven skin texture impacts all of us at some point.—
Hannah Coates,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harshness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshness. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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