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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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
Patricia S York, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Candace Cameron Bure has learned that even in life’s hardest seasons, faith can rebuild what’s been broken.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
Todd blitzed and hit Fifita so hard the ball popped loose and sailed out of bounds.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard
Adjective
A little hard work in this recipe is greatly rewarded with layer upon layer of flakey, buttery biscuit goodness.
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Candace Cameron Bure has learned that even in life’s hardest seasons, faith can rebuild what’s been broken.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Adverb
Meantime, the consumer cyclicals and industrials that had rolled over pretty hard for weeks saw only modest relief, up less than half a percent on the day, though banks looked a bit better than that.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
Todd blitzed and hit Fifita so hard the ball popped loose and sailed out of bounds.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard
Adjective
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Jens generally chooses his words carefully, and is, what’s more, particularly reticent just after finishing a long and difficult winter delivery trip; what’s a person supposed to do with words in a blizzard anyway, up on a stormy heath and all directions lost?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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In his first start in the wake of Beau Pribula’s significant injury, Zollers walked into a difficult situation, and his stat line reflected it.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The ruthless conglomerate's logo, base, ships, and equipment are featured throughout the film, in addition to the synths themselves.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
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Earlier stories in that newspaper described López Torres as a ruthless trafficker who has killed dozens and was earlier aligned with Colombia’s right-wing paramilitary forces, known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or the Spanish acronym AUC.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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,
11 Nov. 2025
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Seek shelter in a sturdy structure until the storm has passed.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Relative to the starting pitcher market, his contract -- he is owed $28 million combined over the next two seasons with a club option for 2028 -- is reasonable.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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The pop punk icon confirmed a slate of upcoming shows for next year on Monday, along with efforts to ensure tickets get in actual fans’ hands for a reasonable price, rather than to resellers who will hawk them at major markups to those who missed out during the initial on-sale.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This loss had to be especially tough for the Jayhawks, considering a controversial holding call on KU changed the momentum of the game.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
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However, their record at the Etihad makes for tough reading.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Gas and dust fall into a rotating disk around the black hole, and as the debris spirals more rapidly, it becomes superheated, releasing intense radiation.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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True Ipomea batatas has bright orange flesh (although modern varieties have much more intense colors than older forms), occasionally white and rarely purple.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Senior officials said that Medicare beneficiaries seeking coverage for GLP-1 drugs for obesity would have to meet strict eligibility criteria and that these would follow Make America Healthier Again principles to address chronic disease risk factors.—
Alice Park,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
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Beyond the major races, Democrats swept state Supreme Court contests in Pennsylvania and won ballot initiatives in Colorado and Maine, where voters approved gun safety measures and rejected stricter voter ID laws.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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For example, a government notice earlier this year referenced a construction project in Shaanxi province belonging to the CASC 4th Academy, which is widely known as the main contractor for solid-fuel rockets.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Dolphins chose not to spend the money (or match or surpass other teams’ offers) on several solid contributors after their rookie contracts ended.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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