ENGLISH
REFERENCE

harsher

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈhɑɹʃɝ// UK //hˈɑːʃɐ// harsh·er

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.


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.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Comparative adjective — typically followed by 'than' when making a direct comparison.

Pitfall

more harsherharsherLearners often use 'more' with comparative adjectives that already end in '-er', creating a double comparative error.

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