1
as in vigor
active strength of body or mind
the 80-year-old grandmother attributes her hardihood to having eaten a cup of yogurt every day for the past 50 years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in courage
strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger
the explorers were driven by an almost reckless hardihood in the face of the unknown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardihood
My father had been a leading Mountaineer and would still maintain the general superiority in skill and hardihood of the Above Boys (his own faction) over the Below Boys (so were they called), of which party his contemporary had been a chieftain.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2022
There is little question that Reagan, for all his physical hardihood and strength of will, was no longer up to the task of serving a third term beginning in 1989.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 18 Sep. 2020
And yet Andrew Johnson, with unblushing hardihood, undertook to rule them by his own power alone.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019
Someone died today in Virginia in a racial terrorist attack, and our President had the audacity, the hardihood to continue to hew to the line of dog whistling racist dogma.
—Angela Helm, The Root, 12 Aug. 2017
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2022
There is little question that Reagan, for all his physical hardihood and strength of will, was no longer up to the task of serving a third term beginning in 1989.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 18 Sep. 2020
And yet Andrew Johnson, with unblushing hardihood, undertook to rule them by his own power alone.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019
Someone died today in Virginia in a racial terrorist attack, and our President had the audacity, the hardihood to continue to hew to the line of dog whistling racist dogma.
—Angela Helm, The Root, 12 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardihood
Noun
-
Suckers can be stimulated to grow for a variety of reasons, such as the vigor of a plant’s root system in situations where the plant is grafted (as many non-native witchhazels and tree cultivars are).—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Feb. 2026
-
As in as soon as the game was over, with Adebayo marching a phone down to Ware’s locker space at Capital One Arena, with vigor almost as fierce as the dunk itself.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There is always a final shot — the one taken out of misplaced faith that courage can be distilled.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
February 19 – March 20 When kindness meets courage, hearts feel safe.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Whereas traditional nuclear fission energy creates power by splitting atoms, fusion uses heat to create energy by melding them together.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
That pattern is associated with better satiety, energy stability, and muscle maintenance, as long as sodium is kept in check when selecting meals.—
Rita Templeton,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Both seemed hellbent on denigrating Black military achievements and glory, even bizarrely trying to have narratives of Black heroism erased.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The Dutch-Dutch aren’t exactly known for their hardball heroism.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But nothing compared to Vietnam when showcasing Black bravery, strength, and even political expression in the war zones of Southeast Asia.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
-
In the sub-zero temperatures of winter, everyday Minnesotans have showed the nation their bravery, empathy and decency in the face of rogue agents masquerading as law enforcement officers.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a quixotic gallantry to appealing to a saner conservative and looking ahead to a post-Trump American politics.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Queen Elizabeth later awarded Beaton the George's Cross, Britain’s highest civilian award for gallantry, for his role in saving her daughter’s life, and bestowed honors on Callender, as well as the other policemen and onlookers who intervened.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
That mix of stubbornness and courageousness is what endeared Snider to fans and peers alike.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
15 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardihood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardihood. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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