hardened; hardening
ˈhärd-niŋ 
ˈhär-dᵊn-iŋ
1
: to make hard or harder
2
: to confirm in disposition, feelings, or action
especially
: to make callous
hardened his heart
3
4
: to protect from blast, heat, or radiation (as by a thick barrier or placement underground)
1
: to become hard or harder
2
a
: to become firm, stable, or settled
b
: to assume an appearance of harshness or severity
her face hardened at the thought
3
: to become gradually acclimatized to unfavorable conditions
—often used with off
plants hardened off before the first frost
Synonyms
Examples of harden in a Sentence
The presence of certain substances in the blood can cause the arteries to harden.
These additives are designed to harden the steel.
substances that can harden the arteries
The news has hardened opposition to the government.
He had been hardened by his years of military service.
Recent Examples on the Web
After the smoke cleared, Mr. Harland found creeks running black with soot and the ground hardening more with every day that passed.
—
Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
China’s efforts harden its financial system against climate risk and meet a real investor need.
—Edmund Downie, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
Homeowners can get a 10% discount for structural wildfire hardening of their home, and a 5% discount for hardening the home’s immediate surroundings.
—John Woolfolk, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
This sentiment hardened after the failure of the 2000 Camp David summit between Mr. Arafat, President Bill Clinton, and Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2024
Some aircraft also carry a Quick Access Recorder (QAR) that is not hardened like the FDR but tracks the same data.
—Gregory Wallace, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
Carbon fiber combines strong carbon threads with resin, which hardens into a material that is lightweight yet strong enough to replace steel in many applications.
—Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
The suffering caused by Russia’s invasion has hardened attitudes in Kharkiv.
—Carlotta Gall Lynsey Addario, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
As the league's March deadline approaches, attitudes are hardening on both sides.
—James Ellingworth, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024
Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
China’s efforts harden its financial system against climate risk and meet a real investor need.
—Edmund Downie, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
Homeowners can get a 10% discount for structural wildfire hardening of their home, and a 5% discount for hardening the home’s immediate surroundings.
—John Woolfolk, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
This sentiment hardened after the failure of the 2000 Camp David summit between Mr. Arafat, President Bill Clinton, and Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2024
Some aircraft also carry a Quick Access Recorder (QAR) that is not hardened like the FDR but tracks the same data.
—Gregory Wallace, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
Carbon fiber combines strong carbon threads with resin, which hardens into a material that is lightweight yet strong enough to replace steel in many applications.
—Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
The suffering caused by Russia’s invasion has hardened attitudes in Kharkiv.
—Carlotta Gall Lynsey Addario, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
As the league's March deadline approaches, attitudes are hardening on both sides.
—James Ellingworth, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'harden.' 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 harden
Cite this Entry
“Harden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harden. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
harden
verb
hard·en
ˈhärd-ᵊn
hardened; hardening
ˈhärd-niŋ
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to make or become hard or harder
2
: to make unfeeling or unsympathetic
hardened his heart
3
: to make or become hardy or strong
muscles hardened by exercise
4
: to protect from blast, heat, or radiation (as by a thick barrier or by placing underground)
hardened missile sites
5
a
: to become firm, stable, or settled
b
: to express harshness
hardener
noun
ˈhärd-nər
-ᵊn-ər
Biographical Definition
Harden
2 of 2biographical name (2)
Maximilian 1861–1927 originally Felix Ernst Witkowski German writer
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