hardened
Americanadjective
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made or become hard or harder.
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pitiless; unfeeling.
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firmly established or unlikely to change; inveterate.
a hardened criminal.
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inured; toughened.
a hardened trooper.
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rigid; unyielding.
a hardened attitude.
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(of a missile base) equipped to launch missiles from underground silos.
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(of a missile) capable of being launched from an underground silo.
adjective
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rigidly set, as in a mode of behaviour
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toughened, as by custom; seasoned
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(of a nuclear missile site) constructed to withstand a nuclear attack
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hardened
Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at harden, -ed 2
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.
But the conflict hardened political and diplomatic estrangement, leaving little space even for limited normalisation.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Many people fear the regime will emerge from the attacks hardened and embittered.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
Speaking on Radio Wales Breakfast, Carnall said "a few hardened campers" have carried on with their plans but it is "very lucky... we're able to take touring vans and motorhomes as well".
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
But parts of northern Thailand are seeing haze that even hardened locals say is exceptional.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Other times, when my resistance hardened into opposition, she’d send me to do conditioning and we’d tackle the skill again later.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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.
