1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in froze
to become physically firm or solid
the glue begins to harden as soon as it is exposed to air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in stiffened
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
the government hardened restrictions on travel to and from the war-torn nation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardened
Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
This long-range missile has been operational since 2006 and is designed for deep strikes against hardened targets.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
Hot water is especially helpful for greasy pans, oily dishes, or anything with hardened food residue.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
In that sense, the discussion around hardened container images reflects a larger shift.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
To minimize the risk of this happening, teams may choose pre-hardened images from containerization services that have already secured their images.
—Felysha Walker, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
The sand mound in question is reportedly approximately 108 feet tall, made of hardened sand rather than bedrock.
—Ryan Brennan
april 1, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
One way to protect American military assets from small drones is to place them in hardened aircraft shelters.
—Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
The hardened look of a world-weary MI6 agent.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2026
The judges also said the district court’s ruling violated a 1996 federal law that hardened immigration enforcement and restricted judicial power on immigration.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Attitudes toward Israel among EU member states, already strained by Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, have hardened further amid the ongoing Israeli invasion of Lebanon and a new law passed on the death penalty for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
—April 21, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
After rooting, the cuttings can be kept in their original pots, transplanted into larger containers, or hardened off and transplanted outside into garden beds.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
Earthshine occurs when sunlight bounces off our planet's cloudy atmosphere to strike the moon, bathing its unlit side in a subtle glow that can reveal the dark forms of lunar maria, vast plains where ancient lava once cooled and hardened into sweeping basaltic landscapes.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 19 Apr. 2026
And the valuable matter, in this case, the pure human feces and urine, had hardened over time, preserving the ancient excrement.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 19 Apr. 2026
But their hearts were hardened.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
The outer layer hardened and became impermeable.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
They were armed with powerful, hardened beaks and likely had high intelligence.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
This long-range missile has been operational since 2006 and is designed for deep strikes against hardened targets.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
Hot water is especially helpful for greasy pans, oily dishes, or anything with hardened food residue.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
In that sense, the discussion around hardened container images reflects a larger shift.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
To minimize the risk of this happening, teams may choose pre-hardened images from containerization services that have already secured their images.
—Felysha Walker, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
The sand mound in question is reportedly approximately 108 feet tall, made of hardened sand rather than bedrock.
—Ryan Brennan
april 1, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
One way to protect American military assets from small drones is to place them in hardened aircraft shelters.
—Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
The hardened look of a world-weary MI6 agent.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
But their hearts were hardened.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2026
The judges also said the district court’s ruling violated a 1996 federal law that hardened immigration enforcement and restricted judicial power on immigration.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Attitudes toward Israel among EU member states, already strained by Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, have hardened further amid the ongoing Israeli invasion of Lebanon and a new law passed on the death penalty for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
—April 21, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
After rooting, the cuttings can be kept in their original pots, transplanted into larger containers, or hardened off and transplanted outside into garden beds.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
Earthshine occurs when sunlight bounces off our planet's cloudy atmosphere to strike the moon, bathing its unlit side in a subtle glow that can reveal the dark forms of lunar maria, vast plains where ancient lava once cooled and hardened into sweeping basaltic landscapes.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 19 Apr. 2026
And the valuable matter, in this case, the pure human feces and urine, had hardened over time, preserving the ancient excrement.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 19 Apr. 2026
But their hearts were hardened.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
The outer layer hardened and became impermeable.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardened
Adjective
-
The team-captain label and All-American honors help, but the real selling points are Schrauth’s sturdy frame, strong hands and a physical style that works in tight quarters.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
In an untitled work from 1995, a cluster of sturdy wagons sits at the edge of a frozen lake, a site where her family of peripatetic horse traders often camped.—
Ben Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Jared Speight is a stubborn titan of Long Island abstraction when star writer Roxy Margaux first becomes infatuated with his bravado.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
-
For concrete or tile, a mild cleaner helps remove the stubborn pollen film that builds up over spring months.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The complaint alleges that the company froze his World Liberty Financial tokens after Sun refused to commit more money to the business.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
In the span of roughly seven months, the USDA froze the program’s grant funding, invited grantees to reapply without climate and DEI language, imposed sweeping new restrictions on solar on farmland, and closed future application cycles.—
Ayurella Horn-Muller,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, the latest edition of the MLB World Tour strengthened the perception of binational ties, coming in a stadium named after a Padres minority owner with a significant stake.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The gangland drama is deeper and darker than the domestic one, strengthened by the unexpected portrayal of the Russian toughs as bumbling in their own way.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The journey of King Charles and the Queen consort had been planned for some time, well before relations between the United Kingdom and the United States stiffened due to international tensions, compounded by the assassination attempt on Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.—
Giorgia Olivieri,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
-
June stiffened, a pillar of ice.—
Meredith Maran,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In addition to being hardy and low-maintenance, spicebush is a beautiful addition to landscapes.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Lavender is a hardy perennial that thrives in full sun with minimal watering.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Warsh would take the chairmanship at a complicated time, given that a spike in gas prices could keep the central bank from lowering interest rates — a move that Trump has been adamant on.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Trump has been adamant that Iran give up its nuclear power ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in order for the war to end.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Jessica Chmielewski, Colleen Gartlan and Ella Riordan led a strong defensive effort in front of Noone.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Set one clear boundary today and confirm expectations so your commitments stay strong and manageable.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardened. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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