| English Dictionary |
HARSH
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does harsh mean?
• HARSH (adjective)
The adjective HARSH has 6 senses:
1. unpleasantly stern
2. unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses
3. of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
4. unkind or cruel or uncivil
5. severe
6. sharply disagreeable; rigorous
Familiarity information: HARSH used as an adjective is common.
Dictionary entry details
| Declension: comparative and superlative |
Superlative: harshest
Sense 1
Meaning:
Unpleasantly stern
Synonyms:
harsh; rough
Context example:
the nomad life is rough and hazardous
Similar:
unpleasant (offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness)
Derivation:
harshness (excessive sternness)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses
Context example:
harsh irritating smoke filled the hallway
Similar:
unpleasant (offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness)
Derivation:
harshness (the quality of being harsh or rough or grating to the senses)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
Synonyms:
coarse; harsh
Context example:
a coarse weave
Similar:
coarse-grained; large-grained (not having a fine texture)
coarse-grained; farinaceous; grainy; granular; granulose; gritty; mealy (composed of or covered with particles resembling meal in texture or consistency)
granulated (made grainy or formed into granules)
plush-like; plushy ((of textures) resembling plush)
loose; open ((of textures) full of small openings or gaps)
Also:
rough; unsmooth (having or caused by an irregular surface)
Attribute:
texture (the feel of a surface or a fabric)
Derivation:
harshness (the roughness of a substance that causes abrasions)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Unkind or cruel or uncivil
Synonyms:
harsh; rough
Context example:
a rough answer
Similar:
unkind (lacking kindness)
Derivation:
harshness (the quality of being cruel and causing tension or annoyance)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Severe
Context example:
a harsh penalty
Similar:
heavy (unusually great in degree or quantity or number)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Sharply disagreeable; rigorous
Synonyms:
abrasive; harsh
Context example:
an abrasive character
Similar:
disagreeable (not to your liking)
Derivation:
harshness (excessive sternness)
Context examples
The harsh coat is medium to long, with a dense under coat and a straight, black-tipped, outer coat which produces a characteristic black overlay.
(Belgian Tervuren, NCI Thesaurus)
The Affenpinscher is a small dog with a harsh, shaggy coat, and longer hair all over the face.
(Affenpinscher, NCI Thesaurus)
A Russian experiment called 'Biorisk' has revealed that various microorganisms from Earth were able to survive in the harsh conditions of space on the surface of the International Space Station (ISS).
(Mutated Terrestrial Bacteria That Return from Space Pose Threat to Life on Earth, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
His voice sounded harsh. There was no levity in it.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
It has a double coat, and the rough, shaggy-looking outer coat is harsh and dry to the touch.
(Bouviers Des Flandres, NCI Thesaurus)
Somewhere high overhead, probably on the tower, I heard the voice of the Count calling in his harsh, metallic whisper.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
Jane Murdstone, said Mr. Murdstone to his sister, any harsh words between us are, I hope, uncommon.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
“The poor dears! Now you must promise you won’t be harsh with them for the rest of the trip, or I won’t go a step.”
(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)
Under the harsh conditions of Saturn’s largest moon, this chemical is thought to be capable of forming stable, flexible structures similar to cell membranes.
(NASA Finds Moon of Saturn Has Chemical That Could Form ‘Membranes’, NASA)
Such heating and chemical reactions may tell us something about other planets with harsh environments, and even early Earth, said Yasumasa Kasaba of Tohoku University, who worked on the observing team.
(Jupiter's Atmosphere Heats up under Solar Wind, NASA)
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