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
How is the word hard different from other adjectives like it?
The words arduous and difficult are common synonyms of hard. While all three words mean "demanding great exertion or effort," hard implies the opposite of all that is easy.
farming is hard work
In what contexts can arduous take the place of hard?
In some situations, the words arduous and hard are roughly equivalent. However, arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion.
the arduous task of rebuilding
When would difficult be a good substitute for hard?
The words difficult and hard can be used in similar contexts, but difficult implies the presence of obstacles to be surmounted or puzzles to be resolved and suggests the need of skill or courage.
the difficult ascent of the mountain
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of 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
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
The company is famous for its creative but ruthless approach to cost cutting.
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
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.
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
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.
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
Article 3 Section 5 of the Tennessee Constitution places strict limitations on the regular circumstances under which a governor can deploy guard troops.
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
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.
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