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
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026
But boarding school students were often hard to control.
—Thomas Adam, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
Rina Nakano, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Mud, salt, dirt, and grass stains from shoes can lead to hard-to-remove stains in a hard-working mud room.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard
Adjective
Racists dismissed them as lesser beings, demeaned them and made life hard for all people of color — whites-only facilities and hard jobs.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026
But boarding school students were often hard to control.
—Thomas Adam, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
Adverb
Since living at the home, Muneer-Hunter has helped design and build the Oasis Deck, studied hard to make the dean's list, mentored inner-city youth, and even served as the commencement speaker at his graduation.
—Rina Nakano, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Mud, salt, dirt, and grass stains from shoes can lead to hard-to-remove stains in a hard-working mud room.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard
Adjective
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JSerra navigated a difficult regular-season schedule, then avoided upsets in the playoffs.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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But the strength of his acidic, strong, difficult performance was too powerful for the Tonys to deny.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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The role of Chris Partlow, Marlo Stanfield's top lieutenant and ruthless hitman, was the first screen credit for Gbenga Akinnagbe.—
Derek Lawrence,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
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Lexi is adrift in the ruthless world of Hollywood.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 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,
29 May 2026
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Tutt and his teams have worked on engineering designs to safely drop anything needing a sturdy parachute — including the Orion capsule that splashed down last month off the coast of San Diego after its 477,710-mile journey to the moon and back.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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That would be impossible to spend in any reasonable manner in one lifetime.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
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Nobody reasonable wants Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff or the sport’s other biggest stars treated like anonymous qualifiers.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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More recent air quality news Major automakers are urging the EPA to delay tougher vehicle pollution standards for two years.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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In a tough economy for local breweries, Clairvoyant has found a way to keep its heart beating.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Russia had vowed more intense attacks and warned foreign diplomats to abandon Kyiv.—
Elmira Aliieva,
NBC news,
3 June 2026
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That funding faced intense scrutiny from a handful of Republicans, prompting senators to abandon it.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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And in France, a country whose approach to secularism is increasingly contested because of its strict regulation of religion in public life, some 13,000 adults were baptized at the Easter Vigil this year — 42% of them ages 18 to 25.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
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In April Judge Roach issued strict media guidelines for the trial, including a limit of nine media members and prohibiting photography and digital recording of court activity.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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The dates up to that point were solid, according to Kristin.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
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The breakfast menu is solid, with great coffee, a strong smoothie list, and things like overnight oats and an elevated take on an egg and cheese.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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