harden

/ˈhɑɹdn̩/

//ˈhɑɹdn̩// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"harden" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“harden” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,554 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#14,554
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To become hard.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

harden vs hare
67% similar
harden vs haven
67% similar
harden vs hardy
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for harden
PropertyValue
Headwordharden
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈhɑɹdn̩/
Letters6
Frequency rank#14,554
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “harden” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). harden lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for harden is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhɑɹdn̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,554 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for harden, with forms such as "ahrden", "hadren", and "hardden". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "hare", "haven", "hardy", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English hardenen, equivalent to hard + -en. Cognate with Danish hærdne (“to harden; cure”), Swedish hårdna (“to harden”), Norwegian herdne (“to harden”), Icelandic harðna (“to harden”). The correct English form is harden, spelled H-A-R-D-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To become hard.
  2. 2
    To make something hard or harder.
  3. 3
    To strengthen.
  4. 4
    To modify (a website or other system) to make it resistant to malicious attacks.
  5. 5
    To become or make (a person or thing) resistant or less sensitive.
  6. 6
    To get an erection.
  7. 7
    To become or make (a consonant) more fortis; to (cause to) undergo fortition.
  8. 8
    To unpalatalize or velarize.

Etymology

From Middle English hardenen, equivalent to hard + -en. Cognate with Danish hærdne (“to harden; cure”), Swedish hårdna (“to harden”), Norwegian herdne (“to harden”), Icelandic harðna (“to harden”).

Synonyms

annealhardenindurateobduratesclerotisesolidifysteelstiffentemper

Antonyms

soften

This word in other languages

endurecer(Español)durcir(Français)härten(Deutsch)endurecer(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ahrden,hadren,hardden,hardenn,hardne,haredn,harrden,hharden,hraden

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of harden - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ahrden2hadren2hardden1hardenn1hardne2haredn2harrden1hharden1
Edit distance from "harden"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "harden"?
"harden" is spelled H-A-R-D-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɑɹdn̩/.
What does "harden" mean?
As a verb, "harden" means: To become hard.
What words are commonly confused with "harden"?
"harden" is commonly confused with "hare", "haven", "hardy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "harden"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "harden" is /ˈhɑɹdn̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "harden"?
From Middle English hardenen, equivalent to hard + -en. Cognate with Danish hærdne (“to harden; cure”), Swedish hårdna (“to harden”), Norwegian herdne (“to harden”), Icelandic harðna (“to harden”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “harden”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-A-R-D-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɑɹdn̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “hare” - see the side-by-side comparison. harden vs hare
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list