1
as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
the new judge vowed to deal hardly with repeat offenders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in no
certainly not
I would hardly think someone with her attitude could make a good manager
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in barely
by a very small margin
we were hardly able to make it back to camp before darkness set in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sadly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
his broker did not think that he would take his financial losses so hardly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in hard
with great effort or determination
the state championship was a hardly fought contest between two evenly matched teams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardly
Although a full professional combat sports card has never been hosted at the White House, sports are hardly new for the president’s home.
—
Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 11 June 2026
The timing could hardly be worse.
—Michael Hedges, Oc Register, 11 June 2026
But this hardly offsets the drop in consumer demand and the increase in the cost of doing business.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
So seeing the league experience this level of success, even if not quite to the degree suggested by every press release, is hardly surprising.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 11 June 2026
The timing could hardly be worse.
—Michael Hedges, Oc Register, 11 June 2026
But this hardly offsets the drop in consumer demand and the increase in the cost of doing business.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
So seeing the league experience this level of success, even if not quite to the degree suggested by every press release, is hardly surprising.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
The car was severely damaged by the crash, video showed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
The impact with Bell’s Camry severely deformed the SAFER barrier, which is comprised of steel and foam to absorb energy in wrecks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Adverb
-
Indeed, there is likely no method — no matter how humane — that would be immune to constitutional challenge.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
-
In my fiction, my grandfather was no longer an inscrutable ghost, but a character with definable flaws, who did things in an order that, despite whatever twists and subversions, resolved into meaning.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Adverb
-
With the front line barely moving as swarms of drones hinder advances, both sides have sought an edge by launching long-range strikes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
-
Bargatze likes to be the butt of the joke, casting himself as the hapless but well-meaning dad who can barely keep track of his day-to-day needs.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Adverb
-
Those faithful are making SpaceX not just the largest and most widely-lauded IPO ever, but sadly, far-and-away the most expensive.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
As a fashion writer with expensive taste and a budget that (sadly) doesn’t always agree, TJ Maxx’s Runway section has become my go-to source for scoring designer finds at prices that feel too good to be true.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
6 June 2026
Adverb
-
Many cities and school districts are trying hard to line up job opportunities for young people.—
Dianna Douglas,
NPR,
6 June 2026
-
With his gregarious nature and hard-drinking demeanor, Lobo is an intimidating extraterrestrial mercenary and bounty hunter, but his origin story is brutal, even by those standards.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
Adverb
-
Leo will find a legislature that is highly polarized, with the ruling Socialist Party of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez hammered by a series of corruption scandals and far-right groups such as Vox harshly criticizing the Socialists’ migration policy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
-
Justin Stasiw’s soundscape wastes no time throwing the audience into Mumbai, where vehicles, whistles and rickshaws harshly yet thrillingly enter the ears.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
Adverb
-
Tabbed nothing less than the golden generation, they were meant to grow a sport that long had roots but never could quite blossom, using the soil of their own country to do it.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
The woman's family hopes this never happens to anyone else.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
Thin ties dropped from the neckline of the bohemian-leaning silhouette, giving the dress a slightly undone finish against the high-shine black heels.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
6 June 2026
-
Upgrading to the faster 150Mbps tier costs just slightly more, coming in at £22 ($29) a month on the 24-month plan or £32 ($43) on the flexible monthly option.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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