have a hard time
idiom
: to experience difficulty doing something
She's having a hard time living within her budget.
The school has had a hard time recruiting substitute teachers.
He's been having a hard time with his research paper.
Examples of have a hard time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The people who are starting out are really having a hard time getting in because the opportunities are not necessarily there or the normal pathways to get in are not necessarily there.
—
Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
Their customers either don't want to leave en masse or have a hard time escaping.
—NPR, 21 Oct. 2025
At first, Cummins had a hard time letting go of creative control and seeing a different path for their music beyond demo versions.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Oct. 2025
At a time when Kansas is facing a severe child care shortage and parents have a hard time finding affordable, nearby options, some neighbors with and without kids of their own are worried about the repercussions of shutting down the center.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for have a hard time
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Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
Their customers either don't want to leave en masse or have a hard time escaping.
—NPR, 21 Oct. 2025
At first, Cummins had a hard time letting go of creative control and seeing a different path for their music beyond demo versions.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Oct. 2025
At a time when Kansas is facing a severe child care shortage and parents have a hard time finding affordable, nearby options, some neighbors with and without kids of their own are worried about the repercussions of shutting down the center.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for have a hard time
Cite this Entry
“Have a hard time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/have%20a%20hard%20time. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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