HARDENED Synonyms: 274 Similar and Opposite Words

hardened 1 of 2

adjective

as in sturdy

able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure hardened from years of deprivation and grief, the man regarded the house fire as just another misfortune in a life filled with them

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stubborn

sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion hardened cynics regarded those TV shows as being anything but reality-based

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hardened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of harden

as in froze

to become physically firm or solid the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air

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as in strengthened

to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure pioneer women who had been hardened by years of living on the plains

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in toughened

to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force arm muscles that were hardened by all the years of casting and hauling his fishing nets

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stiffened

to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe the government hardened restrictions on travel to and from the war-torn nation

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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 hardened

Adjective

The water alone will create steam in the microwave, softening any hardened debris. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026 Under the shadow of a red Force Recon Association hat and tinted glasses, Capers’ eyes wore a hardened look that made no effort to hide the darkness and despair that gripped him at that moment. — Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026 North Korean military engineers—renowned for building massive subterranean installations—also helped Iran design and construct hardened missile silos, underground networks, and nuclear facility bunkers. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 Aug. 2026 The company under the most commercial pressure to ship its next model just told the market that the model may be able to break into hardened systems on its own. — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Graham's kind is the common one, driven by age, blood pressure, and hardened arteries. — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026 If your engine still has original, non-hardened valve seats and is driven under load or at highway speeds, using a lead substitute additive can help reduce valve seat wear. — John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026 Rather than tackling hardened residue with every scrubbing tool in your arsenal, most upkeep becomes a quick spray-and-leave step from a standing position. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026 In the afterglow of the evening, even hardened cynics couldn't deny that being admired by millions is no substitute for being loved by one. — Bryan West, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Verb

Instead of breaking him, Duncan said the brutal conditions hardened his resolve to keep fighting. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026 This is to help chocolate layer not stick to sides when later hardened. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 The win-now mindset is underlined by the signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle and Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa, two 28-year-olds already battle-hardened by the Premier League. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Institutional indifference and erasure Fast forward to today, and that defensive posture has hardened into absolute institutional erasure. — Kimmie Gordon, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 Khalid, the eldest son, then in his early twenties, hardened under the pressure to take care of his family. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 Positions have hardened, trust has weakened and the room for quiet resolution has narrowed. — Sean Pattwell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Notably, Shaun has been hardened and disenfranchised by the bureaucracy of law enforcement. — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026 The early search web was an experimental stage where the rules had not hardened, and the feedback loop between publishers and engines was still manageable and easier to test and interpret. — Alan Bradley, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardened

Adjective

Natural and lab-grown diamonds are sturdy enough to hold up to everyday wear, with gems like sapphire and moissanite right behind them.

— Larissa Ratschkowski, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2026
These sturdy and reliable machines are great for both knocking out homework and streaming Netflix, with a big 24-inch FHD monitor that boasts good brightness and wide viewing angles.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of sturdy

Verb

In the aftermath, OpenAI froze some research projects and slowed others while tightening its sandboxes and expanding monitoring.

— Alex Heath, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Tatis followed with a lineout to second base that froze Harris, who then got to second on Cronenworth’s groundout and was left there when Machado popped out again.

— Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of froze

Verb

With tankers at a standstill and fuel prices climbing, the war strengthened a clean-power sales pitch.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
While Liang’s ties with the government have strengthened, his tech bets appear to be a convergence with Beijing’s priorities rather than state-directed, Wang noted.

— Anniek Bao,Elaine Yu, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of strengthened

Verb

The possible move, unthinkable for legacy studios but in keeping with exits by businesses in other sectors, has only stiffened opposition to the merger in some corners.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
Dogs that have stiffened up with age get an advanced joint-support chew with glucosamine, MSM, and collagen.

— Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Definition of stiffened

Adjective

Davis delivered a strong preseason, but he is now likely headed to a redshirt rookie season unless injuries strike at tackle.

— Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
There’s no denying that the fall 2026 runways made a strong case for color; even the street style scene is on board, slipping into colorful shoes and sporting handbags in a variety of vibrant shades—baby pink, chartreuse, and cobalt.

— Laura Jackson, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of strong

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harden

hardened

hardening

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Style

“Hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardened. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of hardened

adjective

verb

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