harden
verb (used with object)
to make hard or harder.
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harden
1 American
[hahr-dn]
/ ˈhɑr dn /
verb (used with object)
hardens,
present (3rd person singular)
hardened,
past participle, past
hardening
present participle
-
to make hard or harder.
to harden steel.
- Antonyms:
- soften
-
to make pitiless or unfeeling.
to harden one's heart.
-
to make rigid or unyielding; stiffen.
The rigors of poverty hardened his personality.
-
to strengthen or confirm, especially with reference to character, intentions, feelings, etc.; reinforce.
- Antonyms:
- weaken
-
to make hardy, robust, or capable of endurance; toughen.
-
Military. to reinforce the structure of (a military or strategic installation) to protect it from nuclear bombardment.
verb (used without object)
hardens,
present (3rd person singular)
hardened,
past participle, past
hardening
present participle
-
to become hard or harder.
-
to become pitiless or unfeeling.
-
to become rigid or unyielding; stiffen.
His personality hardened over the years.
-
to become confirmed or strengthened.
His resistance hardened.
-
to become inured or toughened.
The troops hardened under constant fire.
-
Commerce. (of a market, prices, etc.)
-
to cease to fluctuate; firm.
When the speculators withdrew from the market, the prices hardened.
-
to rise higher.
-
Harden
2
American
[hahr-dn]
/ ˈhɑr dn /
noun
harden
1
British
/ ˈhɑːdən /
verb
-
to make or become hard or harder; freeze, stiffen, or set
-
to make or become more hardy, tough, or unfeeling
-
to make or become stronger or firmer
they hardened defences
-
to make or become more resolute or set
hardened in his resolve
-
(intr) commerce
-
(of prices, a market, etc) to cease to fluctuate
-
(of price) to rise higher
-
harden
2
British
/ ˈhɑːdən /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
hardenabilitynoun
-
overhardenverb
-
rehardenverb
-
prehardenverb (used with object)
-
unhardenverb (used with object)
-
hardenableadjective
-
unhardenableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
hardensimple
-
hardenssimple
-
have hardenedperfect
-
has hardenedperfect
-
am hardeningprogressive
-
are hardeningprogressive
-
is hardeningprogressive
-
have been hardeningperfect progressive
-
has been hardeningperfect progressive
Past
-
hardenedsimple
-
had hardenedperfect
-
was hardeningprogressive
-
were hardeningprogressive
-
had been hardeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of harden
Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200; see origin at hard, -en 1
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.
See Examples For:
The U.S. needs to maximize the use of Mythos and comparable models to harden its cyber defenses while it can, he added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Already, the excess heat in the tank has caused the MMA to harden and clog the failing tank’s valves, rendering it impossible for crews to drain the dangerous chemical or add stabilizing agents, Freeman said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
The impact of this, he said, is Israeli troops "having to move more cautiously, harden positions, use physical protective measures such as nets and cages, and devote more attention to immediate local defence".
From BBC ● May 16, 2026
“Let’s harden this and always have a route to the Red Sea.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
After about an hour, the wings stretch to full size and harden.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
He and Harden were two of their top three scorers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2026
Brown knew that Brunson was among the best one-on-one scorers in the NBA, and that Cleveland guard James Harden was notoriously slow-footed on defense.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
The Knicks set screens to force Harden to switch onto Brunson—and then got out of the way to let their leader go to work.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
Harden was pronounced dead at the scene at 01:17.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
“Madam, Mrs. Harden says she has sent up the usual quantity.”
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Volcanoes form when molten rock from Earth's mantle rises to the surface and hardens.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
The sun hardens up the clay and creates a faster surface that generally favours bigger servers, more aggressive returners and players who hit with top-spin.
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
In civic life, disagreement often leads to separation, which hardens into division.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
“If a well stays shut too long, it could clog up, and the oil hardens a bit. Then it would take even longer before they can start it back up,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 29, 2026
When he turns back to Rosie, his face hardens.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
"The hawkish core of the Fed has not only hardened but it's broadened," said Swonk, who expects two rate hikes later this year.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
All this time, he had hardened his heart against his parents, believing they had abandoned him and Asa.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
Recent barrages have left even hardened residents shaken and sent them fleeing to shelters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
"I'm a hardened scientist, but it's even warmed the cockles of my heart," McCormack said.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
The more the Governor spoke, the more his face hardened back into that noble image that Nok knew so well from pictures in textbooks.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
To be sure, Russia has adapted by improving electronic warfare, hardening facilities, expanding drone production and developing new glide-bomb tactics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
It marks a wider trend of governments hardening their stance on undocumented migration, with many, including the UK and Italy, adopting measures aimed at deterring it.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
UV light is used for air purification, curing resins in 3D printing, hardening gels in dental fillings, and even applications such as nail treatments.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
Even as its resolve appears to be hardening, the EU has showed no appetite to trigger a broader trade war with China.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
I just stare at my hands, and I imagine that my insides are liquid metal hardening in the air, taking a shape they will never leave again.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
