harsh Meaning & Definition
What Does Harsh Mean?
Harsh is a verb that means To negatively criticize. It is also used to mean To put a damper on (a mood). As an adjective, it means Unpleasantly rough to the touch or other senses.
Harsh in Brief
| Part of speech | verb, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɑːʃ/ |
| Synonyms | abrasive, heavy and hard |
| Antonyms | genteel |
| Comparative / superlative | harsher, harshest |
| Verb forms | harshes, harshing, harshed |
Harsh Definition (Verb)
- To negatively criticize.
Quit harshing me already, I said that I was sorry!
- To put a damper on (a mood).
Dude, you're harshing my buzz.
Harsh as an Adjective
- Unpleasantly rough to the touch or other senses.
- Severe or cruel.
Synonyms of Harsh
Harsh synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Harsh
Harsh in a Sentence
Quit harshing me already, I said that I was sorry!
Dude, you're harshing my buzz.
Word Forms & Grammar
harsh (comparative harsher or more harsh, superlative harshest or most harsh)
harsh (third-person singular simple present harshes, present participle harshing, simple past and past participle harshed)
Words That Rhyme With Harsh
Origin of Harsh
From Middle English harsk, harisk(e), hask(e), herris. Century derived the term from Old Norse harskr (whence Danish harsk (“rancid”), dialectal Norwegian hersk, Swedish härsk, Swedish härsken); the Middle English Dictionary derives it from that and Middle Low German harsch (“rough”, literally “hairy”) (whence also German harsch), from haer (“hair”), from Old Saxon hār, from Proto-West Germanic *hār; the Oxford Dictionary of English derives it from Middle Low German alone.
Quick Answers About Harsh
Is harsh a verb or an adjective?
Harsh is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as an adjective.
What is another word for harsh?
You can replace harsh with words such as abrasive, heavy and hard. See the full list of harsh synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of harsh?
The opposite of harsh is genteel.
What is the past tense of harsh?
The past tense of harsh is harshed. The present participle is harshing.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of harsh?
The comparative form is harsher and the superlative form is harshest.