as in perplexed
faced with difficulty or uncertainty about what to say, think, or do
they will be hard-pressed to come up with any facts that actually support their argument
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Recent Examples of hard-pressed
But the Mountain West and WCC will be hard-pressed to corral even one — not unless the competitive dynamics change and someone becomes the new Utah State or the new Saint Mary’s.
—
Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
The old plan for Artemis III would have been hard-pressed to launch before the end of 2028.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
But both are going to be hard-pressed to deliver on those expectations this March.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Kuemper, who was a Vezina Trophy finalist last season, will be hard-pressed to finish with a similar caliber campaign this time around.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard-pressed
Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
The old plan for Artemis III would have been hard-pressed to launch before the end of 2028.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
But both are going to be hard-pressed to deliver on those expectations this March.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Kuemper, who was a Vezina Trophy finalist last season, will be hard-pressed to finish with a similar caliber campaign this time around.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard-pressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-pressed
Adjective
-
Employees at Alliance for a Better Utah were equally perplexed.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
10 June 2026
-
How a prehistoric society managed to scoot the boulder so far without complex tools or transportation methods has perplexed researchers for years.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
But your mother remains utterly baffled.—
Taiye Selasi,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
-
The admission prompted baffled comments from a veteran federal judge.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Kelli cries over how solid the Mwangi unit is, praising Gerald as a father and husband and affirming that Shamea’s ass is real, while everyone else looks on, bewildered.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
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Karl-Anthony Towns, who was on the podium with him, took off his glasses and looked at his teammate with a bewildered expression.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jay practically embarrassed Mase, then a pop rapper at Bad Boy Records, not by screaming but by sounding amused.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
-
One partner gets a little embarrassed, but the other lightens the mood and keeps encouraging them.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard-pressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-pressed. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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