Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun hardening

3 senses of hardening

Sense 1
hardening -- (abnormal hardening or thickening of tissue)
       => symptom -- ((medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease)

Sense 2
hardening, solidifying, solidification, set, curing -- (the process of becoming hard or solid by cooling or drying or crystallization; "the hardening of concrete"; "he tested the set of the glue")
       => natural process, natural action, action, activity -- (a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); "the action of natural forces"; "volcanic activity")

Sense 3
hardening -- (the act of making something harder (firmer or tighter or more compact))
       => change of integrity -- (the act of changing the unity or wholeness of something)

Antonyms of verb harden

2 of 5 senses of harden

Sense 1
harden, indurate -- (become hard or harder; "The wax hardened")
       Antonym of soften (Sense 7)
      => soften -- (become soft or softer; "The bread will soften if you pour some liquid on it")

Sense 2
harden, indurate -- (make hard or harder; "The cold hardened the butter")
       Antonym of soften (Sense 6)
      => soften -- (make soft or softer; "This liquid will soften your laundry")

Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb harden

5 senses of harden

Sense 1
harden, indurate -- (become hard or harder; "The wax hardened")
       => change -- (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night")

Sense 2
harden, indurate -- (make hard or harder; "The cold hardened the butter")
       => change -- (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night")

Sense 3
temper, harden -- (harden by reheating and cooling in oil; "temper steel")
       => modify -- (make less severe or harsh or extreme; "please modify this letter to make it more polite"; "he modified his views on same-gender marriage")

Sense 4
season, harden -- (make fit; "This trip will season even the hardiest traveller")
       => toughen -- (make tough or tougher; "This experience will toughen her")

Sense 5
inure, harden, indurate -- (cause to accept or become hardened to; habituate; "He was inured to the cold")
       => habituate, accustom -- (make psychologically or physically used (to something); "She became habituated to the background music")