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

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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 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

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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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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

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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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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
As a major commuting town in the New York City suburbs, Greenwich was hard hit; 32 people with ties to the town were killed in the attacks. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026 Hoover’s post-game comments may not have been a conscious shot back at his former head coach, but this could be a case of a subconscious hard at work. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 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
  • Arsenal created more than enough to help themselves to a bunch of goals in Naples, only to get stuck in anti-ruthless mode.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Authorities raided the building and found the entrance to a tunnel controlled by the ruthless Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
    — Steve Fisher, Los Angeles Times, 9 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
  • Competing in a Grand Tour is one of sport’s toughest endurance tests.
    — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Trump used several minutes of his speech to praise Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is in a tough Senate race in America's largest red state.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Broadly, the rule of thumb is to drink it during periods of intense competition (to allow for muscle recovery) while avoiding it during periods of training (to promote muscle development).
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Expect Missouri to come out sharper and fired up, as both teams will be for this intense rivalry.
    — PJ Green September 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of intense
Adjective
  • The idea that stricter work-search requirements will lead to faster re-employment simply doesn't match the reality of modern hiring.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026
  • They were built before 1976, when the federal government enacted stricter building codes for such homes, requiring things like safer wiring and better insulation.
    — Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of strict
Adjective
  • Organic chemistry targets scale Unlike batteries that store energy in solid electrodes, flow batteries keep their energy-storing electrolytes in external tanks.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2026
  • But then again, Enzo Maresca’s side have won three out of three and dug out a solid away victory in the Champions League in midweek.
    — Duncan Alexander, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of solid

Phrases Containing hard

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harbors
hard
hard-and-fast
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Cite this Entry

“Hard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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