as in desolate
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
it was hard to eke out even a bare existence on the hardscrabble lands
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 hardscrabble
Barrett has played the hardscrabble, fiercely devoted emergency room charge nurse since the show's first season, which premiered in 2015.
—
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Without explicitly saying that both Lamont and Fazio live in wealthy Greenwich, Stewart says her campaign contributors are trying to make ends meet in hardscrabble towns across the state.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2025
Most bulldog gravy makers use milk, but there are hardscrabble versions made with water.
—Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2025
Strawberry, an outfielder who grew up playing on the hardscrabble streets of South Central Los Angeles, was part of the hard-partying, hard-charging 1986 Mets team that brought the second-ever World Series championship to Queens.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardscrabble
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Without explicitly saying that both Lamont and Fazio live in wealthy Greenwich, Stewart says her campaign contributors are trying to make ends meet in hardscrabble towns across the state.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2025
Most bulldog gravy makers use milk, but there are hardscrabble versions made with water.
—Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2025
Strawberry, an outfielder who grew up playing on the hardscrabble streets of South Central Los Angeles, was part of the hard-partying, hard-charging 1986 Mets team that brought the second-ever World Series championship to Queens.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardscrabble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardscrabble
Adjective
-
Clowns, aliens and the mysteries of Denver Airport Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway – yes, it’s officially called that – runs through one of the most remote and desolate stretches of the United States.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
-
To find the killer, Sherlock Holmes and Watson will have to brave desolate moors before a family curse dooms the newest heirs.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The film, which world premiered in the Berlinale’s Perspectives sidebar, follows an impoverished but determined family put to test when the father, who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, is accused of murder.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Sanctions have crippled the government’s primary source of revenue, oil exports, limiting the state’s ability to provide for millions of impoverished Iranians through social safety nets.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
An arid, barren landscape with extreme temperature swings from 45 to -40 degrees Celsius (113 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit).—
Rosanna Philpott,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
-
There's a naivety and sweetness to them that's ripped away in an instant when the two passionately make love in the barren house, the inciting incident for the demise of their relationship.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
These are bleak times, and as fans continue to mourn the club’s decline, West Ham’s hierarchy have shifted their focus to the January transfer window.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
As with many of Burton's best films, the real magic is the nuggets of human profundity hidden within the bleak imagery and whimsical comedy.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There’s another element of the current concern regarding due process that relates to the fate of poor Cinna.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
-
McDaniel’s debut album Lost Ones delves into his own story of growing up in a poor community in Kentucky, and dealing with mental health struggles, both personally and within his family — as well as McDaniel’s story of being saved during a past suicide attempt years ago.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardscrabble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardscrabble. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share