hardened
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Made physically hard or solid: Describes a material that has been processed to become rigid or solid, often from a liquid or soft state.
- Made tough or resistant through experience: Describes a person, attitude, or behavior that has become strong, unfeeling, or accustomed to something difficult due to prolonged exposure or habit.
- Strengthened or protected against attack: Describes a military installation or position that has been fortified to resist damage, especially from weapons.
- Treated to increase strength or resilience: Describes a material, especially metal or glass, that has been subjected to a process (like heating and cooling) to improve its properties.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- The hardened concrete path was finally ready for use. (Describing a material made solid.)
- The hardened criminal showed no remorse for his actions. (Describing a person made unfeeling by experience.)
- Soldiers were stationed in the hardened bunker. (Describing a structure protected against attack.)
- The blade was made from hardened steel. (Describing a material treated for strength.)
Advanced Usage
- "Case-hardened": Specifically describes a surface (especially of steel) that has been made extremely hard, or metaphorically, a person who is very cynical or impervious to emotion due to extensive experience.
- He was a case-hardened veteran of the political scene, trusting no one.
Variants and Related Words
- Harden (verb): To make or become hard or solid; to make or become more severe, tough, or fixed.
- The clay will harden as it dries.
- His attitude hardened after the betrayal.
- Hardening (noun): The process of becoming hard or the act of making something hard.
- The hardening of the arteries is a medical condition.
Synonyms
- Tempered: (For materials) Treated to achieve hardness and elasticity.
- Inured: Made accustomed to something unpleasant.
- Seasoned: Experienced and toughened by exposure.
- Fortified: Strengthened against attack.
- Callous: Showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others.
Related Phrases
- Hardened heart: An idiom describing a person who is unsympathetic or unfeeling.
- Years of disappointment had given her a hardened heart.
Adjective
- converted to solid form (as concrete)
- made tough by habitual exposure
- hardened fishermen
- a peasant, dark, lean-faced, wind-inured- Robert Lynd
- our successors...may be graver, more inured and equable men- V.S.Pritchett
- protected against attack (especially by nuclear weapons)
- hardened missile silos
- made hard or flexible or resilient especially by heat treatment
- a sword of tempered steel
- tempered glass
- used of persons; emotionally hardened
- faced a case-hardened judge