Clipping may be described as hard, in cases where the signal is strictly limited at the threshold, producing a flat cutoff; or it may be described as soft, in cases where the clipped signal continues to follow the original at a reduced gain.
Clipping can be characterized as harsh when the signal is severely limited at the threshold, resulting in a flat cutoff; conversely, it may be described as gentle when the clipped signal continues to follow the original at a diminished amplitude.