hard and soft
Firmness and yielding
Hard and soft name opposite ends of a spectrum of resistance to pressure.
Hard things don't yield when pushed—hard rock, hard candy, hard muscles.
Soft things give way—soft pillows, soft skin, soft clay.
The contrast extends everywhere: hard and soft skills (technical versus interpersonal), hard and soft power (coercion versus persuasion), hard and soft news (serious journalism versus human interest).
The coach believed in a hard and soft approach—demanding in practice, supportive after losses.
- firmSolid or resolute
- gentleSoft and kind
- rigidUnable to bend
- rock solidUtterly reliable and stable
- suppleFlexing without damage
tough · tender · solid · plush · stiff · yielding · rough · smooth · texture · squeeze · cushion · rock · pillow · brittle · flexible · harsh · tough love · mellow
hard and softuniform
Identical throughout
consistent · homogeneous · all the same · even · unchanging
hard, soft, harden, hardened, hardening, harder, hardest, hardly, hardness