Synonyms for harshness
Most common
severity bitterness ruggedness tartness abrasiveness bluntness cruelty
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Severity
severity, bitterness, rigor US, rigour UK, ruggedness, tartness, hardness, acrimony, stiffness, inclemency, sternness, acerbity, rigorousness, rigourousness, severeness, grimness, sourness, rigidity, keenness, austerity dated, asperity formal dated
2. Abrasiveness
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
The quality of being harsh.
Forms
- Plural
- harshnesses → severities, bitternesses, rigors, ruggednesses…
Example sentences
- severity The doctor explained the severity of Antonio’s case.
- bitterness What remains in the heart is memory and bitterness.
- rigor We learn to die with a constant rigor throughout a lifetime.
- discord He sows discord by raising controversial subjects.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| harshness | steady | |
| severity | rising | |
| bitterness | steady | |
| rigor | rising | |
| ruggedness | falling | |
| discord | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- rigor2
- 6 letters
- rigour
- 7 letters
- cruelty2, discord2
- 8 letters
- severity4, hardness2, rigidity4, rudeness2, acrimony4, keenness, sourness, tartness2, grimness2, asperity4, acerbity
- 9 letters
- austerity4, stiffness2, roughness2, bluntness2, sternness2, cruelness
- 10 letters
- bitterness3, ruggedness, hoarseness2, inclemency, severeness
- 12 letters
- abrasiveness, rigorousness, scratchiness, churlishness
- 13 letters
- rigourousness
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (rigor2 = 2 syllables).