as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
an indurate heart that admits no love or mercy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to freeze
to become physically firm or solid
clay that had been indurated by long exposure to the summer sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to strengthen
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
such a brutal upbringing could only callous his soul and indurate his heart to the suffering of others
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of indurate
Scott Bradfield, The New Republic, 24 Jan. 2023
Adjective
His characters strive to achieve things—such as love, self-command, or financial success—but those efforts are made ironic in the face of a world that, while sometimes beautiful to look at, remains indurate to human happiness.
—Scott Bradfield, The New Republic, 24 Jan. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indurate
Adjective
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Others think Davie’s ruthless headcount reductions led to a brain drain, which in turn precipitated editorial errors that ultimately led to his resignation.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Typewriters, stationery, fine-art museums, the quintessential impressionist painter—these are all associated with taste, beauty, and craft, as well as with intentionality and care, the opposite of the ruthless technological efficiency that repels many from generative AI.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kenny Burgos, the CEO of the New York Apartment Association, a landlord lobbying group, said Mamdani’s tenant proposals — including freezing the rent for regulated tenants — would force landlords to cut back on maintenance and services.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Right now, the city has paused hiring and spending at Boston Public Schools due to the budget gap there, and a city spokesperson told the Herald in a statement that the mayor is freezing spending to address the city’s shortfall.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Teamwork strengthens as the caring Moon and triumphant Jupiter team up to support your casual friendships and deeper connections.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The advisory will likely be extended through Friday afternoon and the winds will shift and strengthen.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Except every movie tends to get five buckets, while the rest of their time curdles into Tim sharing too much about his personal life as Gregg stares on, his stony, Buster Keaton-like face saying nothing and everything.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Mar. 2026
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That same stony resistance stymied Henry’s next attempt at commercial success, a parasol with a snap-on cover that could be changed to match a woman’s outfit.—
Shoshi Parks,
Popular Science,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Physically frail, yet in full verbal command, Julian doesn’t talk to Lori so much as at her, pausing only to fire off questions that harden, in midair, into assumptions.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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As ideological blocs collapsed, political scientist Samuel Huntington’s influential 1996 book Clash of Civilizations articulated a growing anxiety that globalization would harden into cultural antagonism rather than consensus.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The end was swift and merciless.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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And the bracket carnage was swift and merciless.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Moving the kink to one end makes that side soft and the opposite end stiff; placing it at the center softens the middle and stiffens both edges.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The long lull in excitement threatened to sap our energy, and being stuck in a car for four hours after a morning of physical exertion can stiffen the body.—
Gregory Thomas,
San Francisco Chronicle,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Sleeping positions and firmness Beyond mattress type, your preferred sleep position and mattress firmness (how hard or soft a bed feels) are other important factors to consider when buying a mattress.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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But these funding mechanisms can be hard to understand, from school bonds and GO bonds to tax levies and earnings taxes.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Indurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indurate. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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