hard up

adjective

1
: short of money
2
: poorly provided
hard up for friends

Examples of hard up in a Sentence

despite being undeniably hard up, they had too much pride to accept charity
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.
The game warden who conducted my background check confided that the state is so hard up for hunte-ed instructors that hunting experience is no longer a requirement for teaching the class. The Editors, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025 Starring Jocelin Donahue as a college student hard up for cash who takes on a suspicious babysitting gig, The House of the Devil is a Ti West masterpiece. Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025 How to Do It Right Negotiate hard up front. Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 Kai Jones does not have two-way eligibility, and that matters a lot for a team hard up against the luxury tax. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hard up

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard up was in 1821

Cite this Entry

“Hard up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20up. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

hard up

adjective
1
: short of money
2
: poorly provided
hard up for friends
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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