1
as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
the new judge vowed to deal hardly with repeat offenders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in no
certainly not
I would hardly think someone with her attitude could make a good manager
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Political violence embraced by the progressive Left is hardly new.
—
Michael Graham, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
That was hardly the only time Hafley’s unit was ready to pounce when Daniels tried to get out.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
So in this more cosmic sense, anyway, the Chiefs on Sunday hardly must beat visiting Philadelphia in a rematch of the humbling 40-22 TKO the Eagles administered in Super Bowl LIX.
—Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
At that point, there was hardly any information about the incident—let alone details about the shooter or a motive.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Michael Graham, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
That was hardly the only time Hafley’s unit was ready to pounce when Daniels tried to get out.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
So in this more cosmic sense, anyway, the Chiefs on Sunday hardly must beat visiting Philadelphia in a rematch of the humbling 40-22 TKO the Eagles administered in Super Bowl LIX.
—Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
At that point, there was hardly any information about the incident—let alone details about the shooter or a motive.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
But with Burrow now looking likely to miss the majority of the regular season, those chances look severely diminished.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
16 Sep. 2025
-
This stagnation can severely impact marketability and career growth when the labor market eventually improves.—
Kara Dennison,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Maybe his loud-and-proud brand of politics, no matter how controversial, gave them confidence.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The fall colors on Mackinac Island typically peak in the middle of October, and this year is expected to be no different.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
The earliest cars had a 1,131 cc flat-four engine that made 25 hp, barely sufficient to let the 1,700-pound pipsqueak keep up in the right lane of the Autobahn.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Tons of Spanx shapewear and intimates are on sale, including this wireless bra that offers full coverage, compression, and barely-there straps.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
He eventually was contacted by a Korean company to audition for them, but sadly, didn’t make it.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
This is, sadly, a lost art; now everything is an elaborate ballet of calling, texting, and planning, with little room for spontaneity.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
The bristles are neither too floppy nor too stiff, neither too long nor too short, and are cut to the perfect rounded shape that’s just right for swirling pigment over the apples or spreading it along your cheekbones—without having to work too hard for a completely natural finish.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The Eagles went chasing on a third-and-8 situation at the Chiefs’ 33 at the start of the third quarter, and Smith went down hard after a deep pass from Hurts fell incomplete along the left sideline.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Hilleary, at the campaign event, also harshly criticized Biden’s immigration policies and his administration’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Always use gentle, soft tools like an old toothbrush to scrub away grime in tough corners or nooks, but avoid scrubbing harshly.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
From the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 through the first two decades of the 21st century, English, the dominant language for communication in government, across business, and throughout culture, has never been formalized by federal law.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Despite being signed to the culture-changing label Sub Pop for four albums in the 2000s, Fruit Bats never achieved the same level of acclaim as many of their labelmates, like the Shins and Sleater Kinney, and Johnson disbanded the collective at the end of its 2013 tour.—
Daniel Kohn,
Rolling Stone,
14 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
All major indexes dipped slightly Tuesday, with tech shares such as Nvidia and Microsoft pulling back.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
-
That was almost two decades after the Academy had awarded him an honorary Oscar and slightly more than two years after President Obama had given him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.—
Stephen Galloway,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share