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

And donations collected during 40+ Double Dutch performances are funneled into the organization’s No Sisters Left Behind fund, which helps others in the group facing financial hardships. —Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026

The store also helped direct efforts toward rent relief for immigrants facing heightened uncertainty and economic hardship. —Ray Campos, CBS News, 19 June 2026

Whatever hardships Americans may have endured—including higher gas prices and creeping inflation—far greater ones have been felt elsewhere. —Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 18 June 2026

Know that the Treasury has some very specific hardship criteria. —Diane Omdahl, Forbes.com, 18 June 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