0 the act of becoming or making something hard:
Excess calcium can accelerate hardening of the arteries.
The skin disorder is characterized by a hardening of skin around the hair follicles.
1 the act of becoming more severe, determined, or unpleasant:
There has been a hardening of government policy since the invasion.
His remarks represented a hardening of his position from his more moderate initial response.
They cut cake flour into the cookie dough for a more tender crumb, preventing too much hardening upon cooling.
After 1974 there was a hardening of attitudes in the West against the intentions of the USSR.
Among the anti-whaling nations, there was a noticeable hardening of stance.
An effortless hardening had taken place in his tone.
