have a hard time
idiom
: to experience difficulty doing something
She's having a hard time living within her budget.
The school has had a hard time recruiting substitute teachers.
He's been having a hard time with his research paper.
Examples of have a hard time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tammy Wynette and George Jones may have gotten a D-I-V-O-R-C-E, but the crooning duo had a hard time severing ties for good.
—
Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
People who are insecure, on the other hand, generally have a hard time communicating honestly.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The Knicks also had a hard time containing Edgecombe, who hung 23 and 26 points, respectively, in the first regular season games against the Knicks of his career.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Americans have a hard time talking about money with their friends or even family members.
—Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for have a hard time
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Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
People who are insecure, on the other hand, generally have a hard time communicating honestly.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The Knicks also had a hard time containing Edgecombe, who hung 23 and 26 points, respectively, in the first regular season games against the Knicks of his career.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Americans have a hard time talking about money with their friends or even family members.
—Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for have a hard time
Cite this Entry
“Have a hard time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/have%20a%20hard%20time. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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