1
: the quality or state of being hard
2
a
: the cohesion of the particles on the surface of a mineral as determined by its capacity to scratch another or be itself scratched compare mohs' scale
b
: resistance of metal to indentation under a static load or to scratching
Examples of hardness in a Sentence
the hardness of a diamond
The wood's hardness makes it suitable for carving.
Recent Examples on the Web
According to Ian Stribling, general manager at Goldie, the city's place on the ranking was especially due to a high UV index and water hardness.
—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 19 Sep. 2024
Courage to all my butterflies in defending softness, tenderness, magic, and sweetness in a world full of hardness.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 13 Sep. 2024
The result of this cutting-edge process is a surface hardness of up to an impressive 1200 HV (Vickers hardness) for the HD12 steel.
—Bhanu Chopra, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024
Every Sunday, teams submit to a gameday certification, mandated by the league and union for more than a decade, that primarily tests the hardness of the natural grass or artificial turf.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019
See all Example Sentences for hardness 
Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 19 Sep. 2024
Courage to all my butterflies in defending softness, tenderness, magic, and sweetness in a world full of hardness.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 13 Sep. 2024
The result of this cutting-edge process is a surface hardness of up to an impressive 1200 HV (Vickers hardness) for the HD12 steel.
—Bhanu Chopra, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024
Every Sunday, teams submit to a gameday certification, mandated by the league and union for more than a decade, that primarily tests the hardness of the natural grass or artificial turf.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019
See all Example Sentences for hardness
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hardness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hardness
Cite this Entry
“Hardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardness. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hardness
noun
hard·ness
ˈhärd-nəs 
1
: the quality or state of being hard
2
: the ability of a substance (as a mineral) to scratch another substance or be itself scratched
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