Meaning & use
Hardened
Last updated
Made tough, unyielding, or emotionally callous, often through repeated exposure to difficulty or hardship.
See it in a sentence
The hardened criminal showed no remorse during sentencing.
Years of war had hardened the soldiers to scenes that once horrified them.
A note on using this word
Also used literally to describe steel or other materials treated to increase strength, as in 'hardened steel.'
Words with a similar meaning
toughenedcallousinured
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Made physically tougher or stronger through a treatment process.
The vault door was made of hardened steel to resist drilling.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Hardened”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.