Synonyms for harsh
hɑrʃ

Princeton's WordNet(4.20 / 5 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. harsh, rough(adj)

   unpleasantly stern

   "wild and harsh country full of hot sand and cactus"; "the nomad life is rough and hazardous"

   Synonyms:
   bumpy, approximative, rough, raspy, jolting, pugnacious, jolty, crude, gravelly, rocky, coarse, fierce, abrasive, scratchy, jumpy, boisterous, grating, approximate, unsmooth, uncut, rasping

   Antonyms:
   light, pleasant, agreeable, kind

2. harsh(adj)

   disagreeable to the senses

   "the harsh cry of a blue jay"; "harsh cognac"; "the harsh white light makes you screw up your eyes"; "harsh irritating smoke filled the hallway"

   Synonyms:
   rough, coarse, abrasive

   Antonyms:
   pleasant, light, agreeable, kind

3. coarse, harsh(adj)

   of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles

   "coarse meal"; "coarse sand"; "a coarse weave"

   Synonyms:
   coarse, rough-cut, vulgar, uncouth, abrasive, rough, common

   Antonyms:
   kind, pleasant, agreeable, light

4. harsh, rough(adj)

   unkind or cruel or uncivil

   "had harsh words"; "a harsh and unlovable old tyrant"; "a rough answer"

   Synonyms:
   bumpy, approximative, rough, raspy, jolting, pugnacious, jolty, crude, gravelly, rocky, coarse, fierce, abrasive, scratchy, jumpy, boisterous, grating, approximate, unsmooth, uncut, rasping

   Antonyms:
   kind, light, pleasant, agreeable

5. harsh(adj)

   severe

   "a harsh penalty"

   Synonyms:
   rough, coarse, abrasive

   Antonyms:
   kind, light, pleasant, agreeable

6. harsh, abrasive(adj)

   sharply disagreeable; rigorous

   "the harsh facts of court delays"; "an abrasive character"

   Synonyms:
   rough, coarse, abrasive, scratchy

   Antonyms:
   pleasant, kind, light, agreeable

English Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. harsh

   Acid, sour, and bitter agree in being contrasted with sweet, but the two former are sharply distinguished from the latter. Acid or sour is the taste of vinegar or lemon-juice; bitter that of quassia, quinine, or strychnine. Acrid is nearly allied to bitter. Pungent suggests the effect of pepper or snuff on the organs of taste or smell; as, a pungent odor. Caustic indicates the corroding effect of some strong chemical, as nitrate of silver. In a figurative sense, as applied to language or character, these words are very closely allied. We say a sour face, sharp words, bitter complaints, caustic wit, cutting irony, biting sarcasm, a stinging taunt, harsh judgment, a tart reply. Harsh carries the idea of intentional and severe unkindness, bitter of a severity that arises from real or supposed ill treatment. The bitter speech springs from the sore heart. Tart and sharp utterances may not proceed from an intention to wound, but merely from a wit recklessly keen; cutting, stinging, and biting speech indicates more or less of hostile intent, the latter being the more deeply malicious. The caustic utterance is meant to burn, perhaps wholesomely, as in the satire of Juvenal or Cervantes. Compare MOROSE.

   Synonyms:
   acerb, acetous, acid, acidulated, acidulous, acrid, acrimonious, biting, bitter, caustic, cutting, irate, pungent, savage, sharp, sour, stinging, tart, vinegarish, virulent

   Antonyms:
   dulcet, honeyed, luscious, nectared, saccharine, sweet

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. harsh

   Synonyms:
   rough, grating, severe, sharp, rugged, acrimonious, abusive, soul-jarring, rancorous, rigorous, discordant, gruff

   Antonyms:
   smooth, melodious, lenient, suave, bland, gentle, genial, kindly

Dictionary of English Synonymes(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. harsh(a.)

   Synonyms:
   rough

2. harsh(a.)

   Synonyms:
   sour, acrid, tart, crabbed, hard, biting, sharp, caustic, corrosive

3. harsh(a.)

   Synonyms:
   grating, discordant, jarring

4. harsh(a.)

   Synonyms:
   crabbed, morose, stern, severe, austere, acrimonious, ill-tempered, out of humor, out of temper

5. harsh(a.)

   Synonyms:
   rude, uncivil, bluff, blunt, gruff, ungracious, churlish, bearish, brutal

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. harsh(a)

   Synonyms:
   inharmonious, rough, disagreeable, unpleasant, raucous, dissonant, strident, discordant, cacophonous, austere, morose, severe, ungracious, inurbane, discourteous, churlish, uncivil, blunt, bluff, brusque, acrimonious, caustic, acrid, repulsive

PPDB, the paraphrase database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these paraphrases:

1. List of paraphrases for "harsh":

   tough, hard, severe, cruel, stringent, strict, rigorous, dura, difficult, grim, brutal, draconian, stark, strongly-worded, stiff, rough, bitter, hostile, fierce, sharp, heavy, rude

How to pronounce harsh?

Alex

US English

Daniel

British

Karen

Australian

Veena

Indian

How to say harsh in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use harsh in a sentence?

1. George Will:

   He speaks in such modulated, dulcet tones that we tend to sometimes miss some of the harsh things he is saying, so he’s got a rhetorical record that is going to get more scrutiny.

2. Isaiah Kiplagat:

   The recent doping cases on our athletes have made me gain a deeper understanding of the vice and come to terms with the harsh realities of doping, i will propose lifetime bans for athletes caught cheating. If you are banned, you should not represent your country at the world championships or at the Olympics. You should stay at home forever.

3. Andrew Weissmann:

   He engaged in crime again and again. He has not learned a harsh lesson. He has served to undermine, not promote, American ideals.

4. Neil Hicks:

   President Trump says he wants to focus bilateral talks on security, but what drives insecurity in Egypt is the government's harsh repression, when human rights are not protected, instability fuels the very extremism that President Trump says he is trying to combat. If President Trump fails to raise human rights concerns with President Sisi, he is by definition undermining the global struggle against terrorism and violent extremism.

5. Brett Ward:

   The new attendance policy is even more strict than the one that most people think is too harsh already, the steps toward discipline are fewer and it’s easy for people to get into trouble, and could lead to firing.

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