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

4 senses of harshness

Sense 1
harshness, abrasiveness, scratchiness -- (the roughness of a substance that causes abrasions)
       => roughness, raggedness -- (a texture of a surface or edge that is not smooth but is irregular and uneven)

Sense 2
harshness, roughness -- (the quality of being unpleasant (harsh or rough or grating) to the senses)
       => unpleasantness -- (the quality of giving displeasure; "the recent unpleasantness of the weather")

Sense 3
cruelty, cruelness, harshness -- (the quality of being cruel and causing tension or annoyance)
       => malevolence, malevolency, malice -- (the quality of threatening evil)

Sense 4
severity, severeness, harshness, rigor, rigour, rigorousness, rigourousness, inclemency, hardness, stiffness -- (excessive sternness; "severity of character"; "the harshness of his punishment was inhuman"; "the rigors of boot camp")
       => sternness, strictness -- (uncompromising resolution)