1
as in to freeze
to become physically firm or solid
the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air
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2
as in to strengthen
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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3
as in to toughen
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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4
as in to stiffen
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
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Recent Examples of harden
Early shifts may harden or reverse as the 2026 midterms draw closer and the 2028 field comes into sharper focus.
—
Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
The condition causes calcium to quickly accumulate in the arteries of the legs, hardening blood vessels and making walking increasingly painful and difficult.
—Alexandra Sifferlin, STAT, 31 Mar. 2026
However, Egyptian magicians are able to do the same feat, and Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, despite the major environmental disruption.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Don’t forget to harden your seedlings off first.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harden
Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
The condition causes calcium to quickly accumulate in the arteries of the legs, hardening blood vessels and making walking increasingly painful and difficult.
—Alexandra Sifferlin, STAT, 31 Mar. 2026
However, Egyptian magicians are able to do the same feat, and Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, despite the major environmental disruption.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Don’t forget to harden your seedlings off first.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harden
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
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The advisory will likely be extended through Friday afternoon and the winds will shift and strengthen.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Harden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harden. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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