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
Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Testing, learning, and then pivoting hard Licht, who joined Reckitt in 2019 after working for McKinsey and PepsiCo, has overseen a much broader restructuring since becoming CEO in 2023.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 8 May 2026
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 9 May 2026
John Hynes saw it in the opening round of the playoffs last season as well, when Vegas went hard after Hartman starting in Game 1, clearly trying to provoke a reaction.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard
Adjective
Lots of laughter and playing with joy, even in the hardest of moments, truly bolsters well-being!
—Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Testing, learning, and then pivoting hard Licht, who joined Reckitt in 2019 after working for McKinsey and PepsiCo, has overseen a much broader restructuring since becoming CEO in 2023.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 8 May 2026
Adverb
Suddenly, big audiences are harder to come by, and advertisers instead must work harder to persuade individual viewers during personal binge sessions.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 9 May 2026
John Hynes saw it in the opening round of the playoffs last season as well, when Vegas went hard after Hartman starting in Game 1, clearly trying to provoke a reaction.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard
Adjective
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The Aces scored 26 points off those giveaways, which made things even more difficult on the defense.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
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Schiraldi oversaw a particularly difficult period on Rikers.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Reduce Wasted Spend to Fund Your Next Project Founders are ruthless about cutting overhead, yet many creatives let thousands of dollars leak away on essential work expenses like software subscriptions, tech and supplies.—
Rhett Power,
Rolling Stone,
6 May 2026
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Stéphane de Groodt also appears, while Jochen Hägele plays the ruthless Nazi officer Dieter Frank.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
4 May 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,
8 May 2026
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Build something sturdy enough that generosity becomes a choice rather than a sacrifice.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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The ten-course meal costs a hundred and forty dollars per person, which is not exactly sofa-cushion change but does feel reasonable given that such high-flying pastry is normally available only at the end of ultra-ritzy meals of considerably higher expense.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
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Finding the perfect venue to have a ring, a backstage area, paying fees and setting a reasonable ticket price are all things that have to be considered.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Chase Meidroth made a shuffle toss to second base for a force out, but the Sox couldn’t complete what would have been a tough double play.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
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Our legislators must make some tough decisions; avoiding the issues is not acceptable.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Later, the Moon squares Mars in Aries, which can make the moment feel more intense.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
7 May 2026
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Keep in mind that Pluto retrogrades happen every year for approximately half the year, but this particular cycle will be especially raw and intense, both at a personal and global level.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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Our justice system depends on public confidence, and, as a result, the rules governing lawyers in every state are strict.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Passengers on board — representing more than 20 nationalities, including Americans — have been placed under strict health monitoring and isolation protocols as a precaution.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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This is a solid and affordable Ethernet cable that is sufficient for most homes.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Combined with flexible plan options and solid customer support, Cinch is a reliable choice for anyone seeking affordable home warranties without sacrificing quality.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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