harden

[hahr-dn] / ˈhɑr dn /

VERB

make or become solid

Synonyms

STRONG

amalgamate anneal bake brace buttress cake calcify callous cement close clot coagulate compact congeal consolidate contract crystallize curdle dry firm fix fortify fossilize freeze gird indurate jell nerve ossify petrify precipitate press reinforce set settle solidify starch steel stiffen strengthen temper thicken toughen vitrify

WEAK

densify

Antonyms

STRONG

continue dilute discourage dishearten disjoin dissolve dissuade divide enlarge flex hurt let go liquefy loosen melt open separate soften thin unfix unsettle upset weaken

WEAK

be intolerant indulge spoil

VERB

accustom

Synonyms

STRONG

acclimate acclimatize adapt adjust blunt brutalize callous callus coarsen conform deaden develop discipline dull embitter habituate indurate inure numb paralyze roughen season steel stiffen strengthen stun stupefy teach train

WEAK

case-harden climatize make callous render insensitive

Antonyms

STRONG

disarrange disorder enliven neglect unfit weaken

WEAK

be intolerant indulge liquefy melt soften spoil

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Torak looked down at the small anxious cub, and hardened his heart.

From Literature

He takes another step forward and my muscles harden and tense, ready to run if I have to.

From Literature

For others the trigger is grievance, isolation or personal instability, which gradually hardens inside online echo chambers, where resentment circulates freely.

From The Wall Street Journal

According to the study, these dunes slowly hardened into rock billions of years ago after interacting with groundwater moving beneath the Martian surface.

From Science Daily

Over time, the mineral deposits hardened the fractured zones into ridges.

From Science Daily

harden

Example Sentences

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