harshness

Meanings

Plural: harshnesses

Noun

• the roughness of a substance that causes abrasions
• the quality of being unpleasant (harsh or rough or grating) to the senses
• the quality of being cruel and causing tension or annoyance
• excessive sternness
  • "the harshness of his punishment was inhuman"
• The quality of being harsh.

Synonyms

abrasiveness, cruelness, cruelty, hardness, inclemency, rigor, rigorousness, rigour, rigourousness, roughness, scratchiness, severeness, severity, stiffness