HARDNESS Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

hardness

noun

ˈhärd-nəs

Definition of hardness

as in hardship

something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal the test questions were rated for hardness, a rating of five indicating the most difficult

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in severity

the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism) the aunt's hardness gradually crumbled under the influence of the little orphan's endearing ways

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 hardness It's recommended to clean your dishwasher filter every 3-6 months, depending on your usage frequency and water hardness. — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 9 July 2026 For over 20 years, this question has ranked among the biggest open problems in the field of quantum complexity theory, which studies the intrinsic hardness of quantum problems. — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 6 July 2026 Grade 5 titanium is notoriously difficult to work with, its hardness rapidly degrading cutting tools and leaving little margin for error. — Richard Mille Contributor, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 The new method led to a classification system that ranks a meteoroid's hardness. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hardness

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardness

Noun

Some federal loans sometimes also qualify for loan forgiveness, hardship relief, and deferment and forbearance options that can impact your repayment timeline.

— Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
Economic hardship for working families and young people exacerbates their frustration and disenfranchisement, while a tepid Democratic leadership response adds to anti-establishment sentiment.

— Andrew Cuomo, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of hardship

Noun

But researchers stress that the more concerning trends are the severity of the injuries and the fact that they’re especially pronounced among children.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
The researchers found a relationship between the apparent covertness of the recording devices and the severity of the harassment.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of severity

Noun

Government agencies’ own survey responses provide little evidence that pension benefits are driving any recruitment difficulties.

— Mariana Trujillo, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2026
The church has no difficulty prescribing specifics when the subject is autonomous lethal weapons.

— Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficulty

Browse Nearby Words

hardly

hardness

hardnose

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardness. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hardness

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on hardness

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

lackadaisical

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes