harshness
Translation
severity, cruelty, roughness
Examples
The harshness of the winter was unexpected.
The harshness of the winter was unexpected.
I was surprised by the harshness of his words.
I was surprised by the harshness of his words.
Grammar Patterns
the harshness of (sth.) to describe the severity of something The harshness of the punishment was debated.
Similar Words
Synonyms: severity, austerity, rigor; Antonyms: gentleness, mildness, softness
Etymology
From the adjective 'harsh' + '-ness', a suffix forming nouns indicating a state or quality.
Memory Tips
The '-ness' suffix turns the adjective 'harsh' into a noun describing the quality of being harsh.