hardly

adverb

ˈhärd-lē How to pronounce hardly (audio)
Definition of hardlynext
1
as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering the new judge vowed to deal hardly with repeat offenders

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2
as in no
certainly not I would hardly think someone with her attitude could make a good manager

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in barely
by a very small margin we were hardly able to make it back to camp before darkness set in

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sadly
with feelings of bitterness or grief his broker did not think that he would take his financial losses so hardly

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in hard
with great effort or determination the state championship was a hardly fought contest between two evenly matched teams

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hardly If the climate 165 miles above the Arctic Circle turned out to be colder than expected, visitors could hardly drop by a department store and pick up a sweater. — Julie Lasky, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025 After two consecutive years of 20%+ returns for the S & P, a correction is hardly unexpected. — Michael K. Farr, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025 Settlement talks have been held in recent weeks, which unsettled a number of people inside and outside the company, but such a path is hardly unusual in the current environment. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2025 This is hardly a traditional approach to true crime. — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
  1. no
  2. barely
  3. sadly
  4. hard
  5. never
  6. just
  7. intently
Adverb
  • Your outlook for 2025: To keep moving forward, on and on, no matter what.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • What if everyone, no matter their business or industry, approached customer interactions with that level of commitment?
    — Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of no
Adverb
  • Hailey Bieber just broke her streak of wearing ultra-subtle, barely there manis with a very out-of-character color choice.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Zandi believes the nation ultimately will sidestep a downturn because Trump administration officials will grant countries enough exemptions and carve-outs or negotiate down the tariffs to keep the economy afloat – barely.
    — Paul Davidson, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of barely
Adverb
  • Just like Girl Scout cookies themselves, these Pop-Tarts flavors are sadly only available for a limited time, while supplies last.
    — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Carly Cushnie co-founded Cushnie et Ochs, and her sleek, feminine designs took over red carpets and editorials before the brand sadly shut down in 2020.
    — Kedean Smith, Essence, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of sadly
Adverb
  • Forest have worked hard to make improvements to the City Ground to transform it into a Premier League-quality stadium over the past few years, including extensive work to modernise the changing rooms and the media facilities.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • McIlroy hit his chip from behind the putting surface too hard.
    — Justin Ray, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of hard
Adverb
  • Even as Jesus is shown nailed to the cross, the points of incision on his palms are blurred and blood never enters the frame.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Why has Green Day never taken a big swing like this again over the last 20 years?
    — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of never
Adverb
  • That's just the beginning of Natalia's story, though.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Sparks-Haught learned that conceiving would be difficult at just 26 years old.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of just
Adverb
  • Sitting cross-legged in an armchair, a woman in a beret and an open fur coat exposing a scarlet dress gazes intently with pursed lips.
    — Natasha Gural, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Watching intently from the stands at the Cherry Red Records stadium is his father, Phil.
    — Matt Woosnam, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of intently

Browse Nearby Words

hard-luck
hardly
hardness
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Cite this Entry

“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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