hardness
12 synonyms and 1 antonym for hardness, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The quality of being physically hard or resistant to scratching, cutting, or denting.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use hardness
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
water hardness
hardness scale
degree of hardness
Etymology
From Old English heardnes, built from hard + the suffix -ness.
Full origin of hardness →Frequently asked questions
What does “hardness” mean?
The word “hardness” means the quality of being physically hard or resistant to scratching, cutting, or denting. In plain terms, how hard something is — used for materials (like metal) as well as for mineral content in water.
How do you pronounce “hardness”?
“Hardness” is pronounced HAHD-nuhs (/ˈhɑɹdnəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “hardness” in a sentence?
Here is “hardness” used in a sentence: “Diamond has the highest hardness of any natural material.”
What is another word for “hardness”?
Words with a similar meaning to “hardness” include callosity, durity, firmness, induration, inflexibility and rigidity.
What is the opposite of “hardness”?
The opposite of “hardness” — its antonyms — is softness.
What part of speech is “hardness”?
“Hardness” is a noun.
Where does the word “hardness” come from?
The word “hardness” comes from Old English. From Old English heardnes, built from hard + the suffix -ness.
Is “hardness” a common word?
“Hardness” is an uncommon word in modern English.
