hard time
noun
US
: a long or difficult prison sentence
He could be facing hard time for his crimes.
Examples of hard time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During the five days of deliberations, the jury foreman had reported to Farber that the jurors were having a hard time reaching a verdict and that several members had been clashing.
—
Emily Berk, NBC news, 12 June 2025
This is largely done by setting hard time limits on the approval process through consultations with DOGE, including a limit of 18 months for approval of new nuclear plants.
—ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025
Having the Ten Commandments prominently displayed in classrooms is not going to do all that much when students are having a hard time figuring out what the words mean.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
As was later revealed by the hosts, the voters had a really hard time whittling 10 semifinalists to five finalists (out of 17 contestants).
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard time
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Emily Berk, NBC news, 12 June 2025
This is largely done by setting hard time limits on the approval process through consultations with DOGE, including a limit of 18 months for approval of new nuclear plants.
—ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025
Having the Ten Commandments prominently displayed in classrooms is not going to do all that much when students are having a hard time figuring out what the words mean.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
As was later revealed by the hosts, the voters had a really hard time whittling 10 semifinalists to five finalists (out of 17 contestants).
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard time
Cite this Entry
“Hard time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20time. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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