hardly

1 in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering <the new judge vowed to deal hardly with repeat offenders> Synonyms brutally, hard, harshly, ill, oppressively, roughly, severely, sternly, stiffly Related Words callously, cold-bloodedly, hard-heartedly, heartlessly, inhumanely, inhumanly, insensately, insensitively, mercilessly, obdurately, pitilessly, ruthlessly, tyrannically, uncharitably, unfeelingly, unmercifully, unsparingly; abusively, brutishly, savagely, viciously; aggressively, assertively, decidedly, determinedly, firmly, grimly, gruffly, resolutely, strongly, toughly Near Antonyms benevolently, benignantly, considerately, cordially, graciously, kindly, lovingly, tenderly; charitably, compassionately, humanely, mercifully, softheartedly, sympathetically, tolerantly, understandingly Antonyms clemently, gently, leniently, lightly, mildly, softly

2 certainly not <I would hardly think someone with her attitude could make a good manager> Synonyms ill, no, none, no way, scarcely Related Words near, never, nothing, nowhere, nowise Phrases by no means, nothing doing, on no account Near Antonyms awful, awfully, enormously, exceedingly (also exceeding), extremely, greatly, highly, hugely, immensely, mightily, mighty, most, quite, terribly, very; assuredly, clearly, hands down, perfectly, plainly, really, truly, unequivocally, unquestionably, utterly; doubtless, more or less, mostly, rather, slightly, somewhat Antonyms absolutely, certainly, completely, definitely, positively, surely

3 by a very small margin <we were hardly able to make it back to camp before darkness set in> Synonyms barely, just, marginally, narrowly, scarcely, slightlyRelated Words minimally, minutely, scantly; almost, approximately, closely, more or less, nearly, partly, plus or minus, roughly, somewhatNear Antonyms definitely, easily, plainly, positively, quite, unquestionably; abundantly, completely, copiously, fully, generously, greatlyAntonyms considerably, significantly, substantially, vastly, well

4 with feelings of bitterness or grief <his broker did not think that he would take his financial losses so hardly> Synonyms agonizingly, bitterly, dolefully, dolorously, grievously, hard, inconsolably, lugubriously, mournfully, painfully, plaintively, regretfully, resentfully, ruefully, sadly, sorely, sorrowfully, unhappily, wailfully, woefully, wretchedlyRelated Words abjectly, cheerlessly, crestfallenly, dejectedly, despairingly, despondently, disconsolately, dispiritedly, downheartedly, low-spiritedly; blackly, darkly, dismally, distressfully, distressingly, dourly, drearily, forlornly, gloomily, glumly, joylessly, mirthlessly, miserably, morosely, pessimistically, somberly, sullenly; acutely, harshly, keenly, piercingly, poignantly, severely, sharply; cruelly, hurtfully, ill, rancorouslyNear Antonyms cheerfully, cheerily, delightedly, gaily (also gayly), gleefully, good-naturedly, lightheartedly, merrily, mirthfully, rejoicingly, sunnily; blithely, blithesomely, calmly, casually, dispassionately, easily, impassively, indifferently, lightly, nonchalantly, stoically, unconcernedly; favorably, wellAntonyms blissfully, gladly, happily, joyfully, joyously

5 with great effort or determination <the state championship was a hardly fought contest between two evenly matched teams> Synonyms amain, arduously, assiduously, determinedly, diligently, doggedly, hard, industriously, intensely, intensively, intently, laboriously, mightily, purposefully, resolutely, sedulously, slavishly, strenuouslyRelated Words actively, animatedly, briskly, busily, dynamically, energetically, feverishly, spiritedly, vehemently, vigorously, zealously; continuously, ploddingly, steadfastly, steadily, unabatedly, unrelentingly, unremittingly; ardently, attentively, conscientiously, earnestly, exhaustively, meticulously, painstakingly, seriously, thoroughly; indefatigably, tirelessly, unflaggingly, untiringly, wearilessly; obstinately, stubbornly, willfullyNear Antonyms casually, desultorily, halfheartedly, indolently, lackadaisically, languidly, lazily, listlessly, shiftlessly, sluggishly, spiritlessly, tiredly, wearily