harshness
pronunciation
How to pronounce harshness in British English:
UK 
How to pronounce harshness in American English:
US
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- Noun:
- the roughness of a substance that causes abrasions
- harsh or rough to the ear
- the quality of being cruel and causing tension or annoyance
- excessive sternness
Word Origin
- harshness (n.)
- late 14c., from harsh (adj.) + -ness.
Example
- 1. Even so , the harshness of sentences handed down on monday march 29th was unexpected .
- 2. He also appealed against the harshness of the penalty , which included a fine , mr. tong said .
- 3. Aversion to revolutions has also jolted normally milder gulf sovereigns into unusual harshness .
- 4. But he has also been criticised for the increasing harshness of his politics and for his vaunted experiment in " authoritarian development " .
- 5. Slovakia 's new law , which comes into force on september 1st , is under fire for its harshness .