1
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
the test questions were rated for hardness, a rating of five indicating the most difficult
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)
the aunt's hardness gradually crumbled under the influence of the little orphan's endearing ways
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardness
These tests test for coliform bacteria, lead, arsenic, uranium, nitrates, sodium, chloride, fluoride, pH, hardness, sulfate, turbidity, iron, and manganese.
—
Alec Janis, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
Add a Magnetic Water Conditioner Like a water softener, a magnetic water conditioner controls the hardness of the water in the home.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2025
Reynolds lends a hardness to Masha, at once bitter and comic, and her leading of a game of bingo at the play’s resolution restores some dark humor just as tragedy is about to strike.
—Demetrios Matheou, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
Calcium is instrumental for developing strong bones and teeth, supplying both structure and hardness to your physical architecture.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Alec Janis, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
Add a Magnetic Water Conditioner Like a water softener, a magnetic water conditioner controls the hardness of the water in the home.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2025
Reynolds lends a hardness to Masha, at once bitter and comic, and her leading of a game of bingo at the play’s resolution restores some dark humor just as tragedy is about to strike.
—Demetrios Matheou, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
Calcium is instrumental for developing strong bones and teeth, supplying both structure and hardness to your physical architecture.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardness
Noun
-
The Tower is not always an omen of hardship and struggle.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 June 2025
-
In early 2021 due to financial hardship Spirit of Joy made the hard decision to list the property for sale.—
The Rev Lawrence Hand,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
Vaccinations remain the best way to prevent coronavirus infection and lower the risk of subsequent long COVID by reducing the severity of the initial infection and immune response.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 May 2025
-
Pete Smith, a professor of plant and soil science at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, told me in an interview that poor soil management can also increase the severity of sand and dust storms.—
Sanam Mahoozi,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
-
These disruptions and the resulting symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, balance issues, sensitivity to light and noise and personality changes can last minutes to days to even weeks and months.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
The difficulty is that anger doesn't get to be carried out by taking out a handgun and shooting at three teenagers.—
Christine Pelisek,
People.com,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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