What is the meaning of harshness?

noun

• The roughness of a substance that causes abrasions.
  • synonyms: abrasiveness, scratchiness
• The quality of being unpleasant (harsh or rough or grating) to the senses.
  • synonyms: roughness
• The quality of being cruel and causing tension or annoyance.
  • synonyms: cruelty, cruelness
• Excessive sternness.
  • usage: "severity of character"; "the harshness of his punishment was inhuman"; "the rigors of boot camp"
  • synonyms: severity, severeness, rigor, rigour, rigorousness, rigourousness, inclemency, hardness, stiffness