hardship

noun

hard·​ship ˈhärd-ˌship 

1

: privation, suffering

recovering from financial hardship

2

: something that causes or entails suffering or privation

the hardships of life on the frontier

Synonyms of hardship

• difficulty

Examples of hardship in a Sentence

He had suffered through considerable hardship.

The city has been experiencing a period of financial hardship.

They had to endure the hardships of life on the frontier.

Recent Examples on the Web

Daniel Glazer, a clinical psychologist, said making travel arrangements during a time of emotional hardship is a classic rage-booking symptom. — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 26 June 2026

The article emphasizes earning loyalty by leading from the front, much like Alexander the Great, who shared his troops' hardships. — Steve Muscato, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Debt forgiveness programs are generally intended for borrowers experiencing genuine financial hardship who are struggling to keep up with unsecured debt payments. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 26 June 2026

Cleaning up the landscape is necessary to reduce wildfire risk, the supervisors wrote, but the county is sensitive to the hardships that property owners face. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

hardship

noun

hard·​ship ˈhärd-ˌship 

1

: pain entry 1 sense 2a, privation

2

: something that causes pain or loss