What’s the meaning of harsh?
The adjective “harsh” can mean “severe” or “unpleasant to the senses.” Both meanings carry negative connotations.
Even though only a few students were misbehaving, the teacher issued a harsh punishment to the whole class.
The sound of metal scraping metal is harsh on the ears.
If you want to convey one of these meanings with a different word, QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you find synonyms for harsh.