hardening

noun

hard·​en·​ing ˈhärd-niŋ How to pronounce hardening (audio)
ˈhär-dᵊn-iŋ
: sclerosis sense 1
hardening of the arteries

Examples of hardening in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This hardening by Latinos doesn’t surprise me one bit. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Eating cod, legumes and vegetables was beneficial in lowering blood pressure, while fish in general helps reduce levels of triglycerides, a blood fat that contributes to hardening of the arteries and heart disease. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 13 Feb. 2024 Cholesterol gets a bad rap because there’s strong evidence linking higher levels to plaque buildup in the arteries and the hardening of blood vessel walls over time. Knvul Sheikh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Feb. 2024 In other words, the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart gave Pharaoh equal choice. Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2024 Blueberries protect against artery hardening, a condition that increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.6 That's due to their ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 7 Jan. 2024 Blowing up a tornado is not a practical alternative to preparedness, structure hardening, shelter availability, and awareness on severe weather days. Matt Lanza, Ars Technica, 14 Dec. 2023 This fact, coupled with the historic extensive filling of bays and waterways to create waterfront properties, resulted in excessive hardening of these shorelines. Thomas F. Ries, Sun Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2024 Since antlers form from the bases and grow up and out, the area around the pedicle and the main beam itself hardens first, followed by hardening of the tines, from the base to the tip. Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 10 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hardening.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hardening was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near hardening

Cite this Entry

“Hardening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardening. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hardening

noun
hard·​en·​ing
: sclerosis
hardening of the arteries

Medical Definition

hardening

noun
hard·​en·​ing ˈhärd-niŋ, -ᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce hardening (audio)
: sclerosis sense 1
hardening of the arteries
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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