Show me
of
Looking for synonyms for "harsh"? Browse alternatives ranked by relevance — sharper word choices for fiction, poetry, and copywriting.
(adj)
Savagely violent, vicious, ruthless, or cruel, often in an unintelligent manner.
Relevance: 0%
Not smooth; uneven.
Intentionally causing or reveling in pain and suffering; merciless, heartless.
Causing repugnance; unpleasant to the feelings or senses; displeasing.
(of material or fluid) Solid and firm.
Lacking kindness, sympathy, benevolence, gratitude, or similar; cruel, harsh or unjust; ungrateful.
Showing, causing, or favoring rigour/rigor; scrupulously accurate or strict; thorough.
(of any physical thing) Having great weight.
Not pleasant.
Producing abrasion; rough enough to wear away the outer surface.
Bestial; lacking human sensibility
Violent, destructive and cruel.
Repellently frightful and shocking; ghastly, horrific.
Brutal; cruel; fierce; ferocious; savage; pitiless, without intelligence or reason.
Lacking refinement, taste or delicacy.
(formal) Causing pain or distress; harrying.
Causing horror; horrifying.
In a natural, untreated state.
Contemptible, unpleasant (of a person).
Extremely unfavorable; terrible.
(figuratively) Angry, acid, and sharp in delivering argumentative replies: bitter, mean-spirited, sharp in language or tone.
Causing pain or distress, either physical or mental.
Grim or severe in manner or appearance.
Exceedingly violent, severe, ferocious, cruel or savage.
Very bad; abominable, disgusting.
Very unpleasant; disagreeable.
Causing distress; upsetting; distressful.
Discouraging; inspiring fear.
Excessive; overdone.
(archaic, figurative) Sharp and harsh in expressing oneself.
Having an acrid taste (usually from a basic substance).
(of a task) Mentally taxing.
Extreme or intense.
Very bad or intense.
Dismal and gloomy, cold and forbidding.
of or relating to a barbarian; uncivilized, uncultured or uncouth
Very severe, cruel, or harsh.
Feeling sorrow; sorrowful, mournful.
(of an amount) Excluding any deductions; including all associated amounts.
Deserving strong condemnation; shockingly bad, wretched.
(usually not comparable) Made warm or hot by some means.
(of a person) Strong, sturdy, well-built.
Causing a severe and insurmountable problem; detrimental.
Fierce and ferocious.
Intending to harm; malevolent.
Requiring action to prevent bad consequences: urgent, pressing.
Worthy of, or causing, abhorrence, as a thing of evil omen; odious in the utmost degree; very hateful; detestable; loathsome; execrable.
Having a hardness and severity of nature or manner.
Having a thick edge or point; not sharp.
Behaving as a boor; rough in manners.
Not easily managed or handled; awkward; clumsy.
(US, sometimes considered vulgar, slang, positive connotation) Having an extreme appearance, attitude, or behavior that is considered admirable.
Without feeling, emotion, or concern for others; uncaring; cruel.
Unfriendly, hostile.
Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
Difficult, hard to do.
(n)
(uncountable) An indifference to suffering or pleasure in inflicting suffering.
Alternative form of hardcore. [Having an extreme dedication to a certain activity.]
A surname.
Alternative spelling of hardline. [Uncompromising; rigidly holding to a set of beliefs.]
Alternative spelling of rock hard. [As tough, hard, or inflexible as a piece of rock.]
The quality of being hard.
Of or pertaining to inhumanity and the indifferently cruel, sadistic or barbaric behavior it brings.
Characteristic of a burden; arduous or demanding
Involving physical conflict.
Having a strong or far-reaching effect; extreme, severe.
Needing or using up much energy; testing powers of endurance.
Making great demands in terms of quality, quantity, accuracy or other criteria; difficult to satisfy.
(of an object) Rigid; hard to bend; inflexible.
Requiring much physical effort; toilsome.
Stiff, rather than flexible.
Plain in appearance; barren, desolate.
Imposing or constituting a physical, mental, or figurative load which can be borne only with effort; burdensome.
Severity or strictness.
Lacking in refinement or civility; bad-mannered; discourteous.
Characterized by aggression; highly combative; prone to behave in a way that involves attacking (especially if unjustly) or arguing.
(figurative) Emotionally hardened; unfeeling and indifferent to the suffering/feelings of others.
Condemning.
Not friendly; appropriate to an enemy; showing the disposition of an enemy; showing ill will and malevolence or a desire to thwart and injure.
Of low quality.
Serving to hinder or oppose; adverse, disadvantageous, inconducive, unsuitable.
(comparable) Dangerously insecure or unstable; perilous.
With no or few possessions or money, particularly in relation to contemporaries who do have them.
A rigorous imposition of standards.
Lax; not strict; tolerant of dissent or deviation.
Strict; binding strongly; making strict requirements; restrictive; rigid; severe
(of a material) Strong and resilient; sturdy.
Of a characteristic: extreme or very high or strong in degree; severe; also, excessive, towering.
Without pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless.
(of a task) Requiring great exertion; very laborious.
Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous.
Obvious, on show; unashamed; loudly obtrusive or offensive.
(slang) Not in accord with the current fashion, standards, or mores of a particular group; not cool.
Aggressively vigorous or forceful.
Evincing strength and health; strong; (often, especially) both large and healthy.
Achieved through a large effort.
Having, or showing, no pity; merciless, ruthless.