FUNK & WAGNALLS ENCLYCLOPEDIC COLLEGE DICTIONARY: harsh adj. 1. Grating. rough, or unpleasant to any of the senses: a harsh tone; a harsh light. 2. Unpleasing to the mind or the artistic sense; ungracefull; crude. 3. Manifesting severity and rigor; cruel; unfeeling:a harsh punish-ment. [ME harsk.prob.