hard 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhärd How to pronounce hard (audio)
Definition of hardnext
1
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort clearing land is hard work a hard exam to pass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in tough
difficult to endure the hard life of a migrant farm worker

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect a carpet that withstood years of hard wear

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in stable
having been established and usually not subject to change there isn't always a hard line between right and wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in sore
having or showing deep-seated resentment maintained hard feelings toward those who had cheated him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in adamant
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hard

2 of 2

adverb

1
as in intensively
with great effort or determination we took a much-needed break after working hard all week a hard-won victory

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief took the news of their grandfather's death hard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering the dog had been treated hard by his previous owner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hard
Adjective
And in this way his drawings and my story were nudged by each other, but in ways that remain hard to describe. — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026 Levi’s are the hardest to get your hands on, especially Button Fly 501, Zip Fly 505, and retro SilverTab styles. — Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 6 Sep. 2026
Adverb
Colleges are already competing harder for the students who are available and are having more trouble predicting which acceptees will ultimately enroll. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 Collin works hard at the contrast between indulgent luxe and everyday misery. — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard
  1. difficult
  2. ruthless
  3. sturdy
  4. reasonable
  5. tough
  6. intense
  7. strict
  8. solid
Adjective
  • Being undefeated after a trio of difficult opening matches can only be seen as a positive, even if Newcastle’s obvious shortcomings require addressing if that run is to be prolonged.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Engineers need flight data on propulsion, aerodynamics, thermal management, guidance and other subsystems under conditions that are difficult to reproduce on the ground.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • He was always destined to follow in the footsteps of another tyrannical, ruthless Don – Michael Corleone.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Ink finds the Sinners star playing ruthless tabloid editor Larry Lamb in Boyle’s retelling of what happened when Rupert Murdoch acquired struggling British newspaper The Sun.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruthless
Adjective
  • Neither Jović nor Eala has a sturdy serve, as is common among players their age, so quick points were few and far between.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Its full aluminum build is sturdy and lightweight enough to hold for a long time, and battery life is solid for how bright the screen is, clocking in at over six hours on a single charge in our testing.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of sturdy
Adjective
  • The judge then reread his instructions on reasonable doubt before sending them back to continue deliberating.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Deadlocked jurors have deliberated seven days, with one panelist accused of misapplying reasonable doubt, exposing deep divisions over whether the Massachusetts mother is criminally responsible for killing her three young children.
    — Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of reasonable
Adjective
  • Space-grade electronics will cost more, and the ball’s shell—made from a material tough enough to roll over steel shards and withstand minus 184 °C temperatures—has never been evaluated in lunar extremes.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Democratic leaders face tough decisions on where to spend limited party resources to win the Senate majority.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Motion Applied brings experience from motorsport, where power electronics face rapid load changes and intense operating conditions.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As if this weren’t enough for one day, Venus will also make its debut in the secretive and smoldering sign of Scorpio, where the love planet trades light-hearted flirtation for something deeper and way more intense.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of intense
Adjective
  • Legitimate alcohol manufacturers use strict quality controls, and all their products undergo extensive testing, which is expensive and takes quite a bit of time.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026
  • California has strict laws aimed at preventing collisions between cars and bikes.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of strict
Adjective
  • If Wayne, a fictional character, were a more solid creation, the movie could better explore the issue of whether answering racist brutality in kind is more effective than relying on an inadequate system.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The Volunteers have been the kingpin of Arlington ISD football the last two seasons, but several squads like Lamar, Arlington Martin and Arlington seem to have made solid offseason progress.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of solid

Phrases Containing hard

Browse Nearby Words

harbors
hard
hard-and-fast
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All