harsh

[ hahrsh ]
/ hɑrʃ /

adjective

Origin of harsh

1250–1300; Middle English harsk; cognate with German harsch, Danish harsk rancid

SYNONYMS FOR harsh

3 rough.
4 discordant, dissonant, unharmonious.
6 unesthetic.

OTHER WORDS FROM harsh

Example sentences from the Web for harshness

British Dictionary definitions for harshness

harsh
/ (hɑːʃ) /

adjective

rough or grating to the senses
stern, severe, or cruel

verb

(tr) slang to cause (a state of elation) to be diminished or ended (esp in the phrases harsh someone's mellow and harsh someone's buzz)

Derived forms of harsh

harshly, adverb harshness, noun

Word Origin for harsh

C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Middle Low German harsch, Norwegian harsk rancid