hardship

noun

hard·​ship ˈhärd-ˌship 

1

: privation, suffering

recovering from financial hardship

2

: something that causes or entails suffering or privation

the hardships of life on the frontier

Synonyms of hardship

• difficulty

Examples of hardship in a Sentence

He had suffered through considerable hardship.

The city has been experiencing a period of financial hardship.

They had to endure the hardships of life on the frontier.

Recent Examples on the Web

The marine park closed to the public in 2024 amid financial hardships and concerns about animal welfare. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Amid the security crisis and its fallout of economic hardship in the region, nightlife offers people an escape from the tough realities, said Idowu. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

The everyday cost of war Six months of conflict and severe economic hardship have made daily life exhausting for regular Iranians. — Greg Myre, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Simply having charges filed can mean a job loss, losing custody of kids, incarceration for months or years waiting for a trial, financial hardship and stigma. — Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

hardship

noun

hard·​ship ˈhärd-ˌship 

1

: pain entry 1 sense 2a, privation

2

: something that causes pain or loss