hard of hearing

adjective

: relating to or having partial hearing loss
people who are hard of hearing
the deaf and hard of hearing community
… the task force … will ask the Nebraska Department of Education to hire a national consulting firm with expertise in the area of deaf and hard of hearing education to analyze Nebraska's system.Margaret Reist

Examples of hard of hearing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Flashing lights and other visual cues are also useful indicators that may grab the attention of those who are hard of hearing. Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025 Android 16 brings with it improvements to the way notifications work, new lock screen notifications for food delivery apps, better security protocols across your device, and new tweaks to make phone calls easier for those who are hard of hearing. James Peckham, PC Magazine, 17 June 2025 Her advocacy expertise extends to housing, behavioral health and advocating for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 3 June 2025 Gallaudet University, in Washington, D.C., was founded in 1864 and is the world’s only institution of higher learning for the deaf and the hard of hearing. David Owen, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hard of hearing

Word History

First Known Use

1564, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard of hearing was in 1564

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Cite this Entry

“Hard of hearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20of%20hearing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

hard-of-hearing

adjective
ˌhärd-ə(v)-ˈhi(ə)r-iŋ
: relating to or having a faulty but functional sense of hearing

Medical Definition

hard of hearing

adjective
hard of hear·​ing
ˌhärd-ə(v)-ˈhi(ə)r-iŋ
: relating to or having partial hearing loss
adults who are hard of hearing
the deaf and hard of hearing community
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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