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Definitions

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.

Donovan Mitchell added 22 points and James Harden scored 18.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

James Harden has built one of the most decorated careers of his generation in the NBA.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

After that run, Daryl Morey—then the analytically minded general manager of the Houston Rockets—was convinced that Harden could be more than an overqualified backup.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

For the vast majority of his NBA career, Harden had been the perfect superstar of basketball’s analytics age.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

“Madam, Mrs. Harden says she has sent up the usual quantity.”

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë