as in poor
lacking money or material possessions
despite being undeniably hard up, they had too much pride to accept charity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 up
Over the last two seasons, he’s figured out how to throw the ball hard up to left-handed hitters for weak contact and to their back foot for swing-and-miss.
—
Tim Britton, The Athletic, 13 Aug. 2024
However, the typical Planet Organic shopper isn’t likely to be that hard up.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 22 July 2024
They’ve been hit particularly hard up front on offense and need youth.
—Brad Biggs, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2024
Cleveland Browns Stadium, hard up against the Science Center lawn, was plunged into darkness.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hard up
Tim Britton, The Athletic, 13 Aug. 2024
However, the typical Planet Organic shopper isn’t likely to be that hard up.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 22 July 2024
They’ve been hit particularly hard up front on offense and need youth.
—Brad Biggs, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2024
Cleveland Browns Stadium, hard up against the Science Center lawn, was plunged into darkness.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hard up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard up
Adjective
-
But prorating three years of player profits down to 12 months, as UEFA’s rule does, reduces the immediate efficacy of successful trading in the market, the very strategy that poorer clubs increasingly rely on to climb the ladder.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Like most extended car warranty providers, CarShield excludes pre-existing conditions that existed before your warranty took effect, as well as damage resulting from poor maintenance, neglect or intentional abuse.—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Shooting scenes in wide or medium shots that sometimes break into Hsiao-Lee’s harrowing point-of-view, cinematographer Yu Jing-Pin depicts a world without much color or hope, while sets by Huang Mei-Ching and Tu Shuo-Feng emphasize a sad and impoverished existence.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Each serves a high rate of students from impoverished households, and families within the schools' boundaries can choose to attend those schools or receive a bus to a second school option based on their address.—
Krista Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
If it’s not broke, don’t fix it As one social media user said, bullying works.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
-
She had been laid off from her job at Whole Foods in July 2005 and was practically broke when Katrina hit.—
Curtis Bunn,
NBC news,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard%20up. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share