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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 harshness
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
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
-
In a dry cabin, sugary mixers can read louder than intended, especially when there’s not enough acidity or bitterness to balance them.—
Regan Stephens,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Feb. 2026
-
During a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the filmmaker was upbeat and grateful without expressing outward bitterness against the companies that turned him down.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This significant reduction in impact speed and severity is a demonstration of the material safety benefit of the Waymo Driver.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The migrant boat capsized and sank due to the severity of the impact, causing all passengers on board to fall into the sea a few miles off the coast of Turkey, the statement said.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
On a recent visit, oysters arrived first, dressed with caviar, citrus cream, and ginger, with a briny bite that was decadent yet balanced.—
Cameron Sperance,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The suspect sustained a K9 bite and a non-life-threatening gunshot wound in the leg, Cody said.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Arm's chip designs power most of the world's smartphones and are increasingly used in AI data centers and edge computing devices.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
-
On Thursday afternoon, OpenAI released a new cutting-edge coding model that the company said assisted in its own creation.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Original floors were maintained and Valéry, with the help of his brother Louis-Antoine, kept the rustic roughness of the walls, which helps the hotel preserve a sense of history.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Over time, turbine blades are exposed to surface roughness due to erosion, oxidation and mechanical wear.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harshness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshness. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
