hardship

noun

hard·​ship ˈhärd-ˌship 

1

: privation, suffering

2

: something that causes or entails suffering or privation

Synonyms

• 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

Colvin’s perseverance through these hardships captured media attention and was eventually portrayed in the major motion picture, When the Game Stands Tall. —Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 11 Aug. 2025

As shared by the team on social media, the Fever went out and signed Odyssey Sims to a hardship contract following the most recent injuries. —Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Aug. 2025

After seeing the blight of throwaway fashion on both Ghana’s environment and the worsening hardships of Kantamanto traders, Agbofah founded The Revival in 2018 to upcycle unsellable textiles. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 6 Aug. 2025

In a corresponding move, the Valkyries have signed guard Kaila Charles to a seven-day hardship contract. —Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2025

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