Verhärtete

Verhärtete is a German noun derived from the verb verhärten, meaning to harden or stiffen. In usage, it refers to people whose attitudes or positions have become rigid, inflexible, or embittered. The term is common in political, social, and psychological discourse to describe individuals or groups perceived as unreceptive to compromise or change. In the singular it can appear as der Verhärtete (masculine) or die Verhärtete (feminine), and in the plural as die Verhärteten.

Etymology and forms: Verhärtete is a nominalized form of verhärtet, created with the prefix ver- and the past participle stem. When used as a noun, it is capitalized in German. The plural form follows regular declension: die Verhärteten. The masculine singular is der Verhärtete, while the feminine singular is die Verhärtete. It can also occur in compound phrases such as verhärtete Einstellungen or verhärtete Haltungen to denote entrenched attitudes more broadly.

Usage and nuance: The term carries a descriptive or evaluative tone and is often used in analyses of debates, policy discussions, or societal conflicts to highlight rigidity and resistance to change rather than to label individuals clinically. It is more common in formal or journalist texts than in everyday speech. The related noun Verhärtung denotes the process of hardening, while synonyms include Starrheit or Unflexibilität.

See also: Verhärtung, Starrheit, Unflexibilität, veränderte Einstellungen.