harsh
Americanadjective
-
harsher,
comparative
-
harshest
superlative
-
ungentle and unpleasant in action or effect.
harsh treatment; harsh manners.
-
grim or unpleasantly severe; stern; cruel; austere.
a harsh life; a harsh master.
- Synonyms:
- bad-tempered, acrimonious, brutal, unkind, unfeeling, hard, brusque
-
physically uncomfortable; desolate; stark.
a harsh land.
- Synonyms:
- rough
-
unpleasant to the ear; grating; strident.
a harsh voice; a harsh sound.
- Synonyms:
- unharmonious, dissonant, discordant
-
unpleasantly rough, ragged, or coarse to the touch.
a harsh surface.
-
jarring to the eye or to the esthetic sense; unrefined; crude; raw.
harsh colors.
-
unpleasant to the taste or sense of smell; bitter; acrid.
a harsh flavor; a harsh odor.
adjective
-
rough or grating to the senses
-
stern, severe, or cruel
verb
Synonym Usage
See stern 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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harshnessnoun
-
overharshnessnoun
-
overharshadjective
-
unharshadjective
-
harshlyadverb
-
overharshlyadverb
-
unharshlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of harsh
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English harsk; cognate with German harsch, Danish harsk “rancid”
Explanation
Harsh means severe or strict, particularly when referring to punishment. It would be a harsh punishment if you got grounded for two weeks just for coming home a little late for dinner. There are many shades of meaning for the word harsh depending on its context, but all imply that something is more unpleasant than it needs to be. Harsh lighting hurts your eyes. A harsh disciplinarian gives out punishments that are too severe. Whereas constructive criticism is usually helpful, a harsh critique will only make you upset. The harsh reality of the world today is that millions of people are starving while others have too much.
Vocabulary lists containing harsh
Negative Words to Describe a Person
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Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 4
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Oh, No! Synonyms for "Bad"
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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:
After all, an emergency fund exists to prevent you from having to make a harsh decision at an inconvenient time.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
There is a need to double down on preparations and equipment on land that is inherently hostile due to the harsh Arctic conditions.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
The first demonstrations will evaluate systems designed to survive the lunar night and other harsh conditions, including periods spent in shadow for multiple days.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
For a region where conflict, harsh winters and limited infrastructure have long restricted sporting opportunities, Auqib's selection is being seen as a landmark moment.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
As you know, the wilderness can be a harsh place, and while Roz was away it had claimed its share of her friends.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
In the wake of PC Harper's death, Lissie Harper campaigned for harsher sentences for the manslaughter of emergency workers on duty.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Australian victim Bianca Jones' parents also criticised the Laos authorities for not pursuing harsher charges.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute said harsher prison conditions are a reflection of the pain Israelis felt after Oct.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Sonnenshine and the “Little House” writers walk a fine line between the harsher recent revelations concerning the ways Ingalls’ bootstrapping mythology in the books doesn’t square with history or reality.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
Ekon’s voice came out harsher than he intended when he answered.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
They formed an essential part of the survival strategies that enabled people to live in some of the harshest environments on Earth.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026
So California and the other two states have, for now, avoided the harshest possible water cuts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
The prosecutor general said Kozyura had agreed to share information "constituting state secrets" for financial reward and deserved the harshest punishment.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
Russia remains marked by some of the developed world’s harshest mortality rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
Those left behind had the task of going on with life even as the harshest snow fell, the bitter cold deepened, the game hid, and the fish sank deeper into the lake.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
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.
