1
as in to freeze
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 to strengthen
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 to toughen
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 to stiffen
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe
the government hardened restrictions on travel to and from the war-torn nation
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of harden
After hardening off, plant the mum outdoors after the last frost in spring, or place the pot in a full sun location and begin fertilizing regularly.
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Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2024
Apple has now hardened Safari to prevent modification of those configurations files.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Public attitudes toward nuclear energy hardened after the disaster, especially as investigations showed that regulators had underestimated risks at the site.
—Amanda Kennell, Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2024
Baby corals, which start their lives swimming in the ocean, need a bit of bare rock to grow on and harden into adults.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for harden 
Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2024
Apple has now hardened Safari to prevent modification of those configurations files.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Public attitudes toward nuclear energy hardened after the disaster, especially as investigations showed that regulators had underestimated risks at the site.
—Amanda Kennell, Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2024
Baby corals, which start their lives swimming in the ocean, need a bit of bare rock to grow on and harden into adults.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for harden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harden
Verb
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The dough also freezes very well for up to 3 months. 3.The View, ABC News, 27 Nov. 2024
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To prolong the life of your leftovers, consider freezing them.Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Closing visibility gaps, strengthening governance and building resilience can ensure that identity infrastructures not only meet today’s needs but are ready for whatever the future brings.Gerry Gebel, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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If the new president institutes tariffs, the dollar could continue to strengthen against the pound and the euro, causing U.S. production costs to rise.Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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In Electric mode, at the halfway point of throttle pedal travel the action stiffens.Mark Ewing, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
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The same law that stiffened ID on in-person voting stiffened ID requirements for getting absentee ballots, and eliminated in-person early voting the Monday before an election.Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 30 July 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Harden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harden. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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