Harsh — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Harsh (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. difficult to endure

   "harsh conditions in the refugee camp"

   similar: bitter, brutal, burdensome, cruel, excruciating, grievous, grim, hard, hardhanded, heavy, inhuman, murderous, onerous, oppressive, rough, rugged, searing, severe, stiff, tough, trying
   related: austere, bleak, comfortless, discomforting, forbidding, inhospitable, spartan, uncomfortable, biting, inclement, intemperate, wild, rigorous, strict, stringent, agonizing, heartbreaking, heartrending, painful, wretched, crushing, grinding, overwhelming, wearing, insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, harrowing, tortuous, bad, disagreeable, hostile, unfriendly, unpleasant
   opposite: easy, light, soft
   near: comfortable, cozy, luxurious, snug, agreeable, friendly, genial, hospitable, pleasant, peaceful, relaxing, reposeful, restful, bearable, endurable, painless, tolerable, balmy, calm, clement, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate

2. disagreeable to one's aesthetic or artistic sense

   "the harsh lighting in the cafeteria makes the food look slightly off-color"

   similar: grating, grotesque, jarring, unaesthetic
   related: acid, flashy, garish, gaudy, loud, tawdry, tacky, tasteless, vulgar, inartistic, unartistic, artless, clumsy, crude, graceless, inelegant, rude, uncouth, uncultured, unrefined, disgusting, gross, obscene, repugnant, repulsive, ugly, disagreeable, jolting, unpleasant, unpleasing, blaring, clashing, discordant, disharmonious, dissonant, inharmonious, jangling, off-key, ragged, raspy, raucous, unmelodious, unmusical, bizarre, kinky, odd, outlandish, shocking
   opposite: aesthetic
   near: artful, artistic, attractive, beautiful, becoming, comely, agreeable, appealing, felicitous, good, harmonious, harmonizing, pleasing, seemly, calming, comforting, soothing, softened, subdued, cultured, elegant, graceful, gracious, polished, refined, tasteful

3. causing discomfort

   "the harsh northern climate"

   similar: comfortless, discomforting, uncomfortable
   related: aching, hurting, miserable, nasty, painful, sore, agonizing, excruciating, torturous, distressing, disturbing, upsetting, awkward, cumbersome, inconvenient, ungainly, uneasy, chafing, cramping, itching, pinching, pricking, prickling, smarting, stinging
   opposite: comfortable, comfy
   near: easy, soothing, cozy, cushy, snug, soft, easeful, relaxing, reposeful, restful

4. given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint

   "a harsh judge when it comes to drug users and especially drug dealers"

   similar: austere, authoritarian, flinty, hard, heavy-handed, ramrod, rigid, rigorous, severe, stern, strict, tough
   related: demanding, exacting, uncharitable, unforgiving, adamant, adamantine, callous, hardened, hard-hearted, hard-line, immovable, implacable, inflexible, merciless, ossified, pitiless, relentless, rock-ribbed, stiff, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unsparing, unyielding, dour, gruff, ascetic, monastic, monkish, browbeating, bullying, determined, firm, resolved, single-minded, steadfast, unflinching, dogged, intractable, obstinate
   opposite: clement, forbearing, gentle, indulgent, lax, lenient, tolerant
   near: easy, easygoing, laid-back, undemanding, charitable, kind, merciful, mild, patient, soft, softhearted, accepting, compromising, yielding, responsive, willing, acquiescent, agreeable, amenable, complaisant, compliant, flexible, pliable, pliant

5. hard to accept or bear especially emotionally

   "the harsh reality of failure"

   "harsh words of criticism from her music teacher"

   similar: afflicting, agonizing, bitter, cruel, excruciating, galling, grievous, harrowing, heartrending, hurtful, painful, tormenting, torturous
   related: insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unacceptable, unbearable, unendurable, unsupportable, appalling, awful, bad, dire, dreadful, ghastly, horrible, miserable, nasty, rotten, severe, terrible, vile, wretched, acute, extreme, intense, piercing
   opposite: gratifying, pleasing, sweet
   near: bearable, endurable, supportable, sustainable, tolerable, livable, sufferable, survivable, acceptable, allowable, reasonable

6. not giving pleasure to the mind or senses

   "winced at the harsh sound that the beginner violinist was making"

   similar: bad, bitter, disagreeable, displeasing, distasteful, icky, nasty, rotten, sour, uncongenial, unlovely, unpalatable, unpleasant, unpleasing, unsavory, unwelcome, wicked, yucky
   related: abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, beastly, bilious, disgusting, dreadful, foul, ghastly, gnarly (slang), god-awful, gross, hateful, hellish, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, invidious, loathsome, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, obnoxious, obscene, odious, offensive, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, revulsive, scandalous, seamy, shocking, sick, sickening, ugly, unholy, vile, villainous, aggravating, annoying, galling, irritating, vexing, crappy (slang), cruddy, crummy, lousy, miserable, sucky (slang), wretched
   opposite: agreeable, congenial, good, grateful, gratifying, nice, palatable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome
   near: delectable, delicious, delightful, dreamy, felicitous, amiable, charming, cheery, friendly, jolly, kindly, sweet