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 synonyms:

1. List of paraphrases:

   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?

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US English

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British

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Australian

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Indian

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How to use harsh in a sentence?

1. Rick Perry:

   Iran knows what the rules of being a good citizen in the world are, if they continue to live outside of the bounds of that, I suspect the U.S. will continue to have a very strong and harsh line toward them.

2. Shinzo Abe:

   History is harsh. What is done cannot be undone, with deep repentance in my heart, I stood there in silent prayers for some time.

3. Julie Bodin:

   Many of the children have been through things that no adult, let alone child should have to go through, witnessing the loss of loved ones, seeing their homes destroyed, and surviving in harsh and insecure conditions in the bush for months.

4. William Cullen Bryant:

   Difficulty, my brethren, is the nurse of greatness-a harsh nurse, who roughly rocks her foster-children into strength and athletic proportion.

5. William Spindler:

   If we don't take the necessary action, we fear that more people will die because ... of the harsh conditions of winter in Europe. We have already seen a number of shipwrecks off Greece and we are afraid that people might also die from exposure on the way between Greece and central and northern Europe.

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