Harshness, n.
The quality or state of being harsh. O, she is Ten times more gentle than her father 's crabbed, And he's composed of harshness. Shak. 'Tis not enough no harshness gives offense, The sound must seem an echo to the sense. Pope.
Syn. -- Acrimony; roughness; sternness; asperity; tartness. See Acrimony.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for harshness; he lists it under acrimony.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.