harsh

adjective
UK: /hɑːʃ/
US: /hɑːrʃ/

  1. Unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses.

    1. The light was too harsh for my eyes. [ ] [ ]
    2. The harsh music hurt my ears and made me uncomfortable in the room. [ ] [ ]

  2. Severe or cruel in a way that is unpleasant or causes suffering.

    1. He received a harsh punishment for his crime. [ ] [ ]
    2. The judge's sentencing was unusually harsh, given the minor nature of the offense. [ ] [ ]

  3. Unfavorable or difficult to experience.

    1. The desert is a harsh environment. [ ] [ ]
    2. The climbers faced harsh conditions as they ascended the mountain's peak. [ ] [ ]

  4. Unnecessarily critical or unkind.

    1. Don't be so harsh on yourself. [ ] [ ]
    2. Her harsh words made him feel terrible about his performance during the game. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

severe cruel rough stern

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "harsh" in English means: Unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses., Severe or cruel in a way that is unpleasant or causes suffering., Unfavorable or difficult to experience., Unnecessarily critical or unkind..

The phonetic transcription of "harsh" is /hɑːʃ/ in British English and /hɑːrʃ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "harsh": severe, cruel, rough, stern.

Example usage of "harsh": "The light was too harsh for my eyes.". More examples on the page.