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   harsh

   /härSH/

   adjective

   • 1. unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses: "drenched in a harsh white neon light" Similar gratingjarringgrindingraspingraspystridentraucousbrassyjanglingmetallicear-piercingdiscordantdissonantdisagreeableunharmoniouscacophonousunmelodiousscreechingshrilltinnysqueakysquawkingroughcoarsegutturalhoarsegruffcroakycroakinggrowlygrowlingrare:stridulantglaringbrightdazzlingbrilliantloudflashygarishgaudyluridboldshowycrudevulgarOpposite softdulcetsubdued
   • 2. cruel or severe: "a time of harsh military discipline" Similar cruelseveresavagebarbarousdespoticdictatorialtyrannicaltyrannousruthlessmercilesspitilessrelentlessunrelentinghardstrictintolerantilliberalhard-heartedheartlessunkindinhumaninhumaneunfeelingunsympatheticunmercifulunpityingrare:suppressiveseverestringentfirmausterepunitivedraconianstiffcruelbrutalhardsternrigidrigorousgrimuncompromisinginflexibleausteregrimspartanhardroughseverecomfortlessinhospitablestarkbleakdesolatebarrenbitterwildOpposite enlightenedkindlenientcomfortable
   • ▪ (of a climate or conditions) difficult to survive in; hostile: "the harsh environment of the desert" Similar hardseverecoldbitterbitterly coldbleakfreezingicyicy-coldarcticpolarSiberianglacialextremenastyinformal:BalticOpposite balmy
   • ▪ (of reality or a fact) grim and unpalatable: "the harsh realities of the world news"
   • ▪ having an undesirably strong effect: "she finds soap too harsh and drying" Similar abrasivestrongcausticcoarseroughbristlyhairyscratchyOpposite mildsmooth

   Word Origin Middle English: from Middle Low German harsch ‘rough’, literally ‘hairy’, from haer ‘hair’.

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • H

     4

   • A

     1

   • R

     1

   • S

     1

   • H

     4

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