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
-
Figure skating is ruthless that way.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Pursued by both the FBI and a ruthless crime boss (Bening), Lucky must fight for her life — and a way out.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Ohio River has not frozen over in Louisville since the 1970s.—
Stephanie Stremplewski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Feb. 2026
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Hard cheeses like Cheddar, Gouda, or Parmesan have a lower moisture content and can be frozen, although its best to grate or shred them first for easy thawing.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Reporting to Fabien Westerhoff, who heads the company’s theatrical arm, Teste will oversee Global Constellation’s worldwide sales operations, working closely with distributors and talent agencies to further strengthen the company’s position in the global marketplace.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
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Of course, once Carey got her hands on one of her signature whistle notes (those really, really high pitches that very few singers can achieve) her voice strengthened, if not her performance demeanor, which remain staid and almost nervous and uncomfortable throughout.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Across this stony landscape, light sometimes falls.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Forgotten animal pens, decaying cages and stony backdrops now sit in various states of abandonment.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For years, this unspoken truth has hardened her, shaping her into a woman of precision and emotional distance — a mother who learned survival through silence.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
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Water your plants regularly during the hardening off process, but slowly decrease how much water your plants receive.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Murphy is not acting alone, however, as he’s been assigned to the journey out of a labor camp run by a merciless, tobacco-spitting boss (Russell Crowe) — and some in his merriless band turn out to be savvier, and more malicious, than others.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
29 Jan. 2026
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But the Warriors, driven by the merciless ticking clock of Curry’s career, are desperate.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The luxury retailer, weighed down by debt, is under pressure as consumers shift their shopping habits and competition stiffens.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
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The Czech Republic’s new government will seek to transform the defense industry into an engine of the nation’s export economy as the flagship auto sector faces stiffening competition, a senior cabinet member said.—
Michal Kubala,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But looming is the question of whether the federal immigration officers who pulled the triggers in both cases actually broke the law, a question that will come down to complicated issues that are much harder to define than the outrage that prompted calls for accountability.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Today, Honda as an example will recommend (and most do) to drive gently for the first 600 miles (avoiding hard acceleration) and to vary engine speed.—
John Paul,
The Providence Journal,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Indurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indurate. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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