Synonyms for harsh
hɑrʃharsh

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

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 AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

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

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:4.2 / 5 votes

1. harsh, roughadjective

   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. harshadjective

   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, harshadjective

   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, roughadjective

   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. harshadjective

   severe

   "a harsh penalty"

   Synonyms:
   rough, coarse, abrasive

   Antonyms:
   kind, light, pleasant, agreeable

6. harsh, abrasiveadjective

   sharply disagreeable; rigorous

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

   Synonyms:
   rough, coarse, abrasive, scratchy

   Antonyms:
   pleasant, kind, light, agreeable

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. harshadjective

   Synonyms:
   rough

2. harshadjective

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

3. harshadjective

   Synonyms:
   grating, discordant, jarring

4. harshadjective

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

5. harshadjective

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

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. harshadjective

   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 databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

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

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use harsh in a sentence?

1. Benjamin Franklin:

   Rules too soft are seldomly followed; rules too harsh are seldomly executed.

2. Bezalel Smotrich:

   It is permissible to protest, to shout and to say harsh words, and not every harsh word is incitement. It is not the harsh words that caused the prime minister’s murder — it was a despicable murderer in Yigal Amir.

3. 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.

4. Oprah Winfrey:

   I would hope that we would not stand in such harsh judgment in a moment of time when someone is hacked in their private conversations, we all make stupid mistakes ... I don't believe she's a racist.

5. Zulu Proverb:

   Lomhlaba Unzima, Lohmhlaba. This world is a harsh place, this world.