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
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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
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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
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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
Appropriately, then, Téchiné’s most enduring collaboration has been with one of the great actors of containment and of style, Catherine Deneuve, who hardly has to do anything to do a tremendous amount and to do it stylishly.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
But Pickard hardly fared better, giving up four goals on 28 shots.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
That’s hardly the case in Andor, in which creator Tony Gilroy gives Mon a story line central to his series about rebellion, fascism, and the masks one must wear to fight for the greater good.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
Republicans can hardly hold public events without confronting enthusiastic protests demanding no changes to the retirement safety net.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
But Pickard hardly fared better, giving up four goals on 28 shots.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
That’s hardly the case in Andor, in which creator Tony Gilroy gives Mon a story line central to his series about rebellion, fascism, and the masks one must wear to fight for the greater good.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
Republicans can hardly hold public events without confronting enthusiastic protests demanding no changes to the retirement safety net.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
She’s been wildly influential without ever being less than unmistakable; no matter what sonic, thematic or characteristic elements other artists may borrow from her, none of them would ever risk being taken for Lana herself.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
26 Apr. 2025
-
At the funeral, however, the crowd appeared overwhelmingly in favor of Francis’ openness to the world, no matter the specific questions of church doctrine.—
Aryn Baker,
Time,
26 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
In a world where 94% of keywords barely scrape 10 or fewer monthly searches and ChatGPT commands a staggering 62.5% of the AI subscription market, the message is loud and clear: The game has changed.—
Ivan Guzenko,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The barely torched meringue on top is the stuff of my Martha Stewart fantasies.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
24 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Founder Joseph Fischer acknowledges that sadly, talent alone isn’t enough in sports recruitment.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
-
New York City could choose to double down on these punitive policies of the past that undermine public safety, and, sadly, this agenda has gained steam.—
Stanley Richards,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Even though the Trump administration has made no secret about its intentions to downsize and remake federal health agencies, many in the field of injury and violence prevention weren't expecting their corner of the CDC to be hit so hard.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
21 Apr. 2025
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Even so, there is no doubt that, perhaps more than his contemporary predecessors, Pope Francis dedicated his days to outreach beyond the faithful, and worked hard to make the Church more relevant in an ever-changing world.—
Phoebe Natanson,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Milwaukee can’t keep up with Indiana For a second straight game, the Bucks fell behind the Pacers in the first quarter and never found their way back into the game.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Yes, she was defeated by a swarm of bees and then received a kicking from Wednesday at the end of the last season, but her death was never confirmed.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
23 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
By episode 2, the former Fireflies make it to an area just outside Jackson and see how heavily fortified the city is.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
-
But the Heat then scored just 21 points while shooting 1 of 6 (16.7 percent) on threes in the fourth quarter.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Market players are listening intently to any guidance by CEO on the round of quarterly earnings now underway.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Listen intently to your health when Mars challenges Pluto.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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