plural hardships
1
: pain and suffering
He had suffered through considerable/great hardship.
The city has been experiencing a period of financial/economic hardship.
2
: something that causes pain, suffering, or loss
They had to endure the hardships of life on the frontier.
Cite this Entry
“Hardship.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/hardship. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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