Word
harsh
US/ˈhɑɹʃ/
UK/hˈɑːʃ/
Definitions
01severe or cruel
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. very strict, unkind, or unfair.
adj. characterised by severity, cruelty, or an absence of leniency.
日本語:厳しい※
Español:desalmado
“The teacher's punishment seemed a bit harsh for such a small mistake.”
“The judge was criticised for passing a harsh sentence that failed to account for the defendant's clean prior record.”
02unpleasant to the senses
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. unpleasantly bright, loud, or rough.
adj. disagreeable to the physical senses due to excessive intensity or coarseness.
“The harsh light of the hospital room made my headache feel worse.”
“The architect avoided using harsh fluorescent lighting, opting instead for recessed lamps that created a warmer atmosphere.”
03difficult conditions
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. extremely difficult to live in or survive.
adj. describing environmental or living conditions that are rigorous or hostile to comfort.
“Few animals can survive the harsh winters in the high mountains.”
“The expedition was forced to turn back after encountering harsh winds and visibility that dropped to near zero.”
04to ruin a mood
C1 · Advanced Slang · Informal
v. to spoil someone's good mood or to be unfairly critical.
v. to dampen a positive atmosphere or to criticise someone in a way that ruins their enjoyment.
“I don't want to harsh your vibe, but we really need to talk about the bill.”
“He didn't mean to harsh the party atmosphere, but his constant complaints about the music eventually drove several guests away.”
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'harsh my vibe'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “harsh” in context.
Verb
01. face harsh conditions
“Explorers must be prepared to face harsh conditions in the Antarctic.”
verb + noun
02. soften the harsh light
“We used sheer curtains to soften the harsh light coming through the window.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. harsh criticism
“The director's new film was met with harsh criticism from the press.”
adj + noun
04. harsh on the eyes
“The fluorescent lighting in the office is incredibly harsh on the eyes.”
adj + prep
05. harsh reality
“The documentary forces viewers to face the harsh reality of climate change.”
adj + noun
06. unnecessarily harsh
“Many felt that the judge's sentence was unnecessarily harsh given the circumstances.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. harshness of the climate
“The harshness of the climate makes it difficult for most plants to survive.”
noun + of + noun
08. concurrent harsh
Real-World Examples
“The harsh midday sun beats down on her.” “Tony Mowbray, their head coach, felt the penalty decision was harsh.” Etymology
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); 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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/harsh
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0