1
as in freezing
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 strengthening
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 toughening
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 stiffening
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 hardening
And top Democrats are hardening their opposition.
—
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Onscreen, Robby is hardening into an antihero.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
The ostensible fear is that of identity hardening into a cudgel, foreshortening a character’s emotional palette.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2026
In addition to the AI era, spending also is growing rapidly because of aging infrastructure, grid hardening from rising extreme weather events and climate change, growing electrification, and population growth.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardening
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Onscreen, Robby is hardening into an antihero.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
The ostensible fear is that of identity hardening into a cudgel, foreshortening a character’s emotional palette.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2026
In addition to the AI era, spending also is growing rapidly because of aging infrastructure, grid hardening from rising extreme weather events and climate change, growing electrification, and population growth.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardening
Verb
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That meant an overnight stay on the mountain in freezing conditions.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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While some lavender species, such as English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), can tolerate cold temperatures, most varieties will suffer when exposed to consistent winds and freezing conditions.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Microsoft committed $10 billion in 2023, strengthening OpenAI’s commercial expansion.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
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That includes supporting fuel supply and infrastructure, developing pilot and demonstration projects, strengthening port-to-port data connectivity, and promoting interoperability, cybersecurity and common standards.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The machine dryer agitates the clothing and prevents fibers from stiffening during drying, which is why clothing comes out feeling soft.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
23 Feb. 2026
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The Czech Republic’s new government will seek to transform the defense industry into an engine of the nation’s export economy as the flagship auto sector faces stiffening competition, Karel Havlicek, minister for industry and trade, told us.—
Suzanne Lynch,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardening. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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