Synonyms of hard
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as in difficult
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as in ruthless
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as in sturdy
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as in reasonable
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as in tough
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as in intense
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as in strict
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as in solid
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as in stable
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as in sore
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as in stubborn
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as in historical
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as in intensively
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as in bitterly
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as in strongly
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as in close
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as in harshly
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1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
clearing land is hard work a hard exam to pass
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2
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
a hard man, who never had a kind word for anyone
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3
as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure
they were forced to import sheep of a harder stock, one that could thrive in the harsh climate
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4
as in reasonable
based on sound reasoning or information
do you have any hard evidence that this was once the site of a Native American village?
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5
as in tough
difficult to endure
the hard life of a migrant farm worker
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6
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
a carpet that withstood years of hard wear
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7
as in strict
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
a hard disciplinarian who is quick to punish the tiniest violation of the rules
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8
as in solid
having a consistency that does not easily yield to pressure
hard candies fell on the hard floor and bruised her arm
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9
as in stable
having been established and usually not subject to change
there isn't always a hard line between right and wrong
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10
as in sore
having or showing deep-seated resentment
maintained hard feelings toward those who had cheated him
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11
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
a woman with a hard will who never budged from her chosen path
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12
as in historical
restricted to or based on fact
that newscast is strictly devoted to hard news, as the producers prefer to leave the gossip to others
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1
as in intensively
with great effort or determination
we took a much-needed break after working hard all week a hard-won victory
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2
as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
took the news of their grandfather's death hard
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3
as in strongly
in a vigorous and forceful manner
hit the ball hard, causing it to soar out of bounds the wind blew hard all day
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4
as in close
at, within, or to a short distance or time
the groom stood hard by, ready to help, as the lady mounted the skittish horse
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5
as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
the dog had been treated hard by his previous owner
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hard
Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
Antonietta Vicario, chief training officer at Pvolve, echoed this sentiment by emphasizing the importance of starting your muscle-building journey from your current level, rather than pushing yourself too hard.
—Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 6 Mar. 2026
Lauran Neergaard, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
Working smarter, not harder, is very much applicable to household cleaning.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard
Adjective
To use basketball and hockey vernacular, Babcock and co-counsel Chris Bankler and Stars lead counsel Joshua Sandler and co-counsel Carroll alternated verbal hard fouls, trash talk and checking into the boards.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
Antonietta Vicario, chief training officer at Pvolve, echoed this sentiment by emphasizing the importance of starting your muscle-building journey from your current level, rather than pushing yourself too hard.
—Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
Afternoon naps and caffeine as well as evening light from phones and other electronic devices can make adjusting to an earlier bedtime even harder.
—Lauran Neergaard, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
Working smarter, not harder, is very much applicable to household cleaning.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard
Adjective
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Anyone who has seen the way the space works today can recognize that there are a lot of families who find this very, very difficult right now.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
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Demonstrating that was difficult due to natural fluctuations in temperatures.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There’s also just one overwhelming evil force in this play — the Nazis — whereas Dumas had his musketeers fighting not just ruthless government officials but royalty, religious leaders and nobles.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
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With a lesser interpreter in the role, Eva might have read more reductively as just a ruthless bureaucratic leader.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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Choose varieties that produce long, sturdy stems and blooms.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And since the liquor has a reasonable 17% ABV, even with a few ounces of sparkling wine, the Spa Spritz is a low-alcohol cocktail that won't drag you down the next morning.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Mar. 2026
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Still, Bale has a couple of nice moments as Mandras, a Greek fisherman who loses his fiancée (Penelope Cruz) to a mandolin-playing pacifist (Cage, of course) but, all told, is pretty reasonable about it.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In 2008, Klay Thompson of Santa Margarita scored 37 points and made a record seven three-pointers at the notoriously tough Arco Arena in Sacramento to help the Eagles win the Division III title over Sacramento 72-55.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Punch made multiple tough baskets and got to the free-throw line as the Jayhawks struggled with his physicality.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The United States has pledged to keep the strait open and has led intense airstrikes targeting Iran's navy and the port city of Bandar Abbas.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
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This intense demand is driving significant activity among niche data providers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Such improvements are crucial for devices like drones that operate with strict limitations on computing power and battery capacity, according to a press release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
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Wife killed in February airstrikes Mojtaba Khamenei was a particular target for criticism by protesters during unrest over the death of a young woman in police custody in 2022, after she was arrested for allegedly breaching the Islamic Republic's strict dress codes.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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His advancing to a runoff against Fuller turns heads as his chances of flipping a solid Republican seat have another chance.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Mar. 2026
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Just a solid, weighty dial to twist, and a ticking sound that gently marks the passing time.—
Francesca Krempa,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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