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
The film becomes thicker than honey at such temperatures, hardly recognizable as water, and far too viscous for skiing.
—
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025
And yet many familiar narrative forms—stand-alone books, movies, concept albums—can hardly compete anymore.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
An Arduous Task The revamp process, however, was hardly a romantic endeavor.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
This was hardly the only nonsense uttered at the 40-minute press briefing, which was light on policy specifics but heavy on praise for the AI industry as a whole.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025
And yet many familiar narrative forms—stand-alone books, movies, concept albums—can hardly compete anymore.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
An Arduous Task The revamp process, however, was hardly a romantic endeavor.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
This was hardly the only nonsense uttered at the 40-minute press briefing, which was light on policy specifics but heavy on praise for the AI industry as a whole.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
An unprecedented marine heatwave in 2023 caused bleaching events that severely damaged many of Florida's reefs.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The boy made a full recovery, but was severely injured by bites to both legs.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
DeSoto’s Baker retaliated with a strong 33-yard touchdown, but the PAT was no good.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
-
If your loungewear collection needs a pre-season pick-me-up, though, look no further than Amazon’s best-selling Automet Jogger Sweatpants.—
Melony Forcier,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Fired from elite law firm Tinley Britt after an argument with his boss (John Slattery), Rudy barely pauses for breath before launching into righteous combat.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Osaka looked at the ball, barely moved her feet, and then looked at the ground.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
The fates of so many were decided on the 1969 day when a dashing and sadly underestimated 25-year-old Colonel Qaddafi seized power from the monarchy in a matter of hours and promised a new golden era, inspired by Egypt’s President Nasser.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Several months after sadly losing her childhood cat in 2023, Hannah Powell felt ready to open her heart to a rescue cat in need of a home.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
That looks like a different Caleb Williams to me, so Ben Johnson's coached him hard this offseason.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The mixer's bowl boasts a distinctive walnut shade and wood grain pattern, and its food-safe seal means the bowl works hard (and looks good doing it).—
Ella Field,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
The data speaks more harshly than any anecdote.—
Yermys Pena,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Importantly, the association urged owners not to discipline their pups harshly for the behavior.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Gaga ended the performance like an exhausted wind-up doll, caged again physically, but never spiritually.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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As for whether his character should never step foot on a boat again after what’s happened the past few times, Reedus shrugs his shoulders.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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That's slightly below Fried's deal, but Valdez will be the best lefty starter on the market, so someone will likely surpass that projection.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Try the curry and other unlisted offerings Cranston’s favorite is Japanese curry, a mildly spiced and slightly sweet, rich brown curry sauce served with steamed rice.—
Lennie Omalza,
The Courier-Journal,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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