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
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 5 Oct. 2025
That trend is supported by the Conference Board’s gauge of whether jobs are easy to get or hard to find, which fell to the lowest level since early 2021 and points to an increase in unemployment.
—Danny Bakst, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Why does one hard working fan have to buy seven different versions of an album instead of just having all of the songs be on one complete album?
—Bryan West, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard
Adjective
But, true to the chaotic and improvisational nature of his medium, the screening was delayed by about 25 minutes as Speed wrapped things up and attendees were corralled to their seats with buckets of kettle corn and hard Topo Chicos.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 5 Oct. 2025
That trend is supported by the Conference Board’s gauge of whether jobs are easy to get or hard to find, which fell to the lowest level since early 2021 and points to an increase in unemployment.
—Danny Bakst, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
Adverb
However, note that insecticidal soaps will have no effect on these hard-bodied beetles.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Why does one hard working fan have to buy seven different versions of an album instead of just having all of the songs be on one complete album?
—Bryan West, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard
Adjective
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For once, the bulk of the anger was directed not at Fosun — the investment group and majority shareholder – and the Molineux hierarchy who have conspired to deal Pereira a difficult hand, but at the head coach himself and his players.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Romancelandia’s social world, harnessed by its business-minded authors, may make its success exceedingly difficult to replicate.—
Rebecca Ackermann,
The Atlantic,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Their methods—ruthless melodic math, brazenly artificial production, and an odd soft spot for reggae rhythms—helped define the world-conquering sound of Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
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To play someone whose world is so beautiful on the surface but whose secrets are ruthless has been an exhilarating challenge.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
2 Oct. 2025
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 Oct. 2025
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The lone crack in Yesavage’s sturdy exterior came in the first inning.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Jones is signed for another five seasons at a $7 million cap hit that is only going to get more reasonable as the cap continues to rise.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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So, spending your free time on a massive project for your crush seems perfectly reasonable.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Lammens was perhaps fortunate to escape sanction then (Stuart Atwell booked the forward for diving), but this was a valuable occasion ahead of tougher tests, beginning at Anfield.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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There will be some tough picking in there, but typically the predicting business gets a little easier in region play.—
Tyler Palmateer,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 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,
4 Oct. 2025
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Safdie perceptively locates the protagonist’s troubling inner contradictions—the atavistic fury that drives him to compete and the intense self-control that competition demands—but dramatizes such outer crises as opioid addiction and conflict with his girlfriend (Emily Blunt) only schematically.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 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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SanDisk — The maker of solid state drives jumped 10%, adding to its massive gains.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
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Chris Copeland, Justin Copeland) Student Shorts With solid storytelling and emerging vision, these films represent a broad range of categories including live-action, narrative, documentary, and animation.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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