1. (

• harshness ,
• abrasiveness ,
• scratchiness

) the roughness of a substance that causes abrasions ;

2. (

• harshness ,
• roughness ,

) the quality of being harsh or rough or grating to the senses ;

3. (

• cruelty ,
• cruelness ,
• harshness ,

) the quality of being cruel and causing tension or annoyance ;

4. (

• severity ,
• severeness ,
• harshness ,
• rigor ,
• rigour ,
• rigorousness ,
• rigourousness ,
• inclemency ,
• hardness ,
• stiffness ,

) excessive sternness; "severity of character"; "the harshness of his punishment was inhuman"; "the rigors of boot camp" ;