1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
there was a harshness about her voice that made her an unlikely but surprisingly evocative singer of torch songs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in severity
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
was surprised at the harshness of the choirmaster's criticism, since he was usually pretty easygoing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harshness
Noun
-
On bridging the divide, Michel stressed the importance of recognizing the severity of the crisis, and engaging in productive dialogue.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2025 -
While San Diego County saw a decrease in acres under the highest severity rating, areas including Los Angeles County, still reeling from the Eaton and Palisades fires, saw increases of 30%.—
Christian Martinez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The fight ends with Shauna taking a bite out of Melissa’s arm, pinning her down and demanding Melissa eat her own flesh.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Mar. 2025
-
On Saturday, March 29, the northeastern United States and Canada will witness a partial solar eclipse in the early hours of the day, according to Space.com, presenting a spectacle that will look as if the moon took a bite out of the sun.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Underlying these advances are robust AI infrastructures, such as Stargate and the AI RAN Alliance, which enhance edge computing capabilities.—
Cathy Hackl,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
In addition, the Pentagon's future stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider, will have many of the same cutting edge technologies in advanced materials, AI, propulsion and stealth.—
TARA COPP THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
22 Mar. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Harshness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshness. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share