INDURATE Synonyms: 194 Similar and Opposite Words

indurate 1 of 2

adjective

ˈin-də-rət

Definition of indurate

as in ruthless

having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings an indurate heart that admits no love or mercy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

indurate

2 of 2

verb

ˈin-də-ˌrāt

as in to freeze

to become physically firm or solid clay that had been indurated by long exposure to the summer sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to strengthen

to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure such a brutal upbringing could only callous his soul and indurate his heart to the suffering of others

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of indurate

Adjective

His characters strive to achieve things—such as love, self-command, or financial success—but those efforts are made ironic in the face of a world that, while sometimes beautiful to look at, remains indurate to human happiness. — Scott Bradfield, The New Republic, 24 Jan. 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for indurate

Adjective

She is described as brusque, cantankerous, ruthless — and also a killer.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Such ruthless prioritization produced some admirable results.

— Julianne Smith, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruthless

Verb

Two Utah residents who hiked Mount Shasta in Northern California were rescued after they became stranded during a perilous 36-hour journey through freezing conditions.

— Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
In winter, some wetlands become more accessible as thick, spongelike layers of organic-rich peat freeze solid and become strong enough to support snow machines on their icy surfaces.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of freeze

Verb

Since 2021 the company has also been intent on strengthening its distribution channels and showrooms across Asia, Europe and North America.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
The work is intended to help transfer specialized nuclear-submarine design knowledge, improve technical coordination and strengthen the industrial capabilities required to build and sustain advanced submarines over their operational lifetimes.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of strengthen

Adjective

Oscar Wilde, for example, reposes beneath a hulking deity whose iconoclastic castration, back in 1961, did little to restrain pilgrims seeking to smear red lips across his stony physique.

— Emily Cox, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026
Instead of looking like a sleek urban loft, the room can quickly start to feel cold, stony, and impersonal.

— Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026

Definition of stony

Verb

As cleanliness standards harden, so does a guest’s leverage when something’s visibly wrong.

— Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
Now the companies that recover fastest treat a short, honest, imperfect first statement as more valuable than a polished one that arrives after the narrative has already hardened.

— Ronn Torossian, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of harden

Adjective

The book’s humor is sharp and merciless, akin to that of a standup comedy show, and yet the things described are far from funny.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
Cora, the granddaughter of a woman kidnapped from West Africa and sold into slavery, flees her captor’s plantation, plunging her into the book’s alternate steampunk reality where she is pursued by the merciless slave catcher Ridgeway.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of merciless

Verb

But one of the positives Glenn highlighted was the defense stiffening in the red zone against Chicago, which went 2 of 7 inside the New York 20-yard line.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Avoiding harsh chemicals like bleach, fabric softeners, and the like will help keep your robe soft and absorbent as these formulas could break down the fabric, leave behind fabric-stiffening residue, or cause pilling and other concerns.

— Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of stiffen

Adjective

Two innings later, the Dodgers took the lead again, rewarded for hard contact as the Brewers’ defense showed its first signs of sloppy play.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Games Can’t Gamble on Talent Opportunities to develop emerging talent are becoming harder to find, particularly in video games, van Beek said.

— Callum McLennan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of hard

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“Indurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indurate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of indurate

adjective

verb

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