Word
harsher
Phoneticsharsh·er
US/ˈhɑɹʃɝ/
UK/hˈɑːʃɐ/
Definition
adj. more severe, cruel, or difficult to deal with than something else. You use it to compare things like weather, punishments, or sounds that feel unpleasant or sharp.
adj. comparative form of 'harsh'; describes conditions, treatments, or sensory inputs that are more severe, abrasive, or unpleasantly rigorous than a baseline.
Examples
“The winter is much harsher in the mountains than in the valley.”
“The judge decided that a harsher sentence was necessary to discourage others from committing the same crime.”
“Under the glare of the harsher studio lights, the imperfections in the painting became visible, revealing the artist's struggle with the medium during the final stages of production.”
Examples
simple
“The winter is much harsher in the mountains than in the valley.”
contextual
“The judge decided that a harsher sentence was necessary to discourage others from committing the same crime.”
complex
“Under the glare of the harsher studio lights, the imperfections in the painting became visible, revealing the artist's struggle with the medium during the final stages of production.”
Usage
Comparative adjective — typically followed by 'than' when making a direct comparison.
Pitfall
more harsher
harsher
Learners often use 'more' with comparative adjectives that already end in '-er', creating a double comparative error.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/harsher