# harden

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈhɑɹdn̩/ · frequency rank #14,554

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

## Easily confused with
- **hare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-hare)
- **haven** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-haven)
- **hardy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-hardy)
- **horde** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-horde)
- **harem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harem)
- **Haydn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-haydn)
- **hares** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-hares)
- **harder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harder)
- **hardly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-hardly)
- **hidden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-hidden)
- **Harvey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harvey)
- **harper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harper)
- **Harley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harley)
- **holden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-holden)
- **Harlem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harlem)
- **Hayden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-hayden)
- **harmed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harmed)
- **Harmon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harmon)
- **Harlan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harlan)
- **Harman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/harden-vs-harman)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ahrden`, `hadren`, `hardden`, `hardenn`, `hardne`, `haredn`, `harrden`, `hharden`, `hraden`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/harden