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
Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2025
And it's been a pretty hard pill to swallow.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2025
Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood, a terrific young player, bit hard on the fake and came up to the line of scrimmage toward Mims.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard
Adjective
Premieres are hard to pull off at TV markets, but the show landed well with the MIPCOM crowd.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2025
And it's been a pretty hard pill to swallow.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2025
Adverb
But the Education Department is among those being hard hit, disrupting special education, after-school programs and others.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood, a terrific young player, bit hard on the fake and came up to the line of scrimmage toward Mims.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard
Adjective
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Travel could be very difficult to impossible.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Oct. 2025
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This Is My Story While Israel and Hamas have accepted the two-phase agreement, many of the more difficult issues have been left unresolved.—
Richard Hall,
Time,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With war looming and chaos consuming the kingdom — drawing in the ruthless kings of other Scandinavian countries and even a powerful English ruler — the stage is set for a thundering, cataclysmic and utterly magical new Norse saga.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
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The company is famous for its creative but ruthless approach to cost cutting.—
Patrick George,
The Atlantic,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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If possible, drive to a nearby sturdy building.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
13 Oct. 2025
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If possible, drive to a nearby sturdy building.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There's no-contact check-in and the rooms are reasonable.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Oct. 2025
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Injecting an element of randomness and uncertainty into the process is reasonable, given that in the real world, measurements are never exact.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The end result of a tough negotiation that included a nearly two-week blackout of Disney channels on Charter in 2023 was a much closer working relationship between the two.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
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Just a week after giving birth, Menish took her six-hour Evidence exam from home in December 2023 — one of the toughest finals in the curriculum.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Oct. 2025
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The modern understanding of the Ring of Fire emerged with the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s, which explained the region’s intense seismic and volcanic activity as the result of shifting tectonic plates.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy.—
Rob Williams,
EverydayHealth.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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Article 3 Section 5 of the Tennessee Constitution places strict limitations on the regular circumstances under which a governor can deploy guard troops.—
Vivian Jones,
Nashville Tennessean,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Dunbar’s speed presented problems for Benbrook’s defense, and Slater credited them for a well-rounded, solid performance.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Oct. 2025
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The back half of the New York Film Festival delivered a secret screening of a solid Academy Award contender, the box office smacked down a Venice Film Festival award winner, and two major contenders in the acting fields up and switched their categories.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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