hardening

1 of 2

noun

hard·​en·​ing ˈhärd-niŋ How to pronounce hardening (audio)
ˈhär-dᵊn-iŋ
Synonyms of hardeningnext
: sclerosis sense 1
hardening of the arteries

hardening

2 of 2

present participle of harden

Examples of hardening in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In about one-third of patients, lung cancer screenings also detect unrelated health issues, including the hardening of heart arteries or a nodule in another part of the body. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Getting home hardening done, like a new roof, windows, and vent, is out of his budget. — Steve Large, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 Eligible nonprofits would be required to help homeowners reduce wildfire risk through vegetation management, maintaining defensible space, home hardening, evacuation planning, emergency alerts and communications and other fire mitigation activities. — Haley Parsley october 12, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 This joint approach prevents premature surface hardening, creating a smooth and structurally uniform film throughout the entire material. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hardening

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hardening was in the 15th century

Rhymes for hardening

See All Rhymes for hardening

Browse Nearby Words

hardener
hardening
harden one's heart
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hardening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardening. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hardening

noun
hard·​en·​ing
: sclerosis
hardening of the arteries

Medical Definition

hardening

noun
hard·​en·​ing ˈhärd-niŋ, -ᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce hardening (audio)
: sclerosis sense 1
hardening of the arteries

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