as in difficulties
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
working two jobs was a hardship he was willing to endure to get out of debt
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Recent Examples of hardships
Minnesota's theatre scene says financial hardships are at an all-time high.
—
Frankie McLister, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Low-income seniors or those going through financial hardships due to a serious medical illness may qualify.
—Kat Tretina, Sacbee.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Despite economic hardships, some Americans are also focused on the well-being of service members and their families.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships The DHS shutdown has resulted in travel delays and even warnings of airport closures as more TSA workers missing paychecks stopped going to work.
—Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships The funding shutdown has resulted in travel delays and even warnings of airport closures as TSA workers missing paychecks stop going to work.
—Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Even if they are paid soon, some officers say their financial hardships will continue.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
There’s going to be some hardships.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
From this perspective, the Swasthani stories teach women that through perseverance, their hardships turn into triumphs and women’s suffering turns into strength.
—Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
Frankie McLister, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Low-income seniors or those going through financial hardships due to a serious medical illness may qualify.
—Kat Tretina, Sacbee.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Despite economic hardships, some Americans are also focused on the well-being of service members and their families.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships The DHS shutdown has resulted in travel delays and even warnings of airport closures as more TSA workers missing paychecks stopped going to work.
—Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships The funding shutdown has resulted in travel delays and even warnings of airport closures as TSA workers missing paychecks stop going to work.
—Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Even if they are paid soon, some officers say their financial hardships will continue.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
There’s going to be some hardships.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
From this perspective, the Swasthani stories teach women that through perseverance, their hardships turn into triumphs and women’s suffering turns into strength.
—Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardships
difficulties
Noun
-
Those dates were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later canceled following Dion's 2022 diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that includes rigidity and stiffness of certain areas of the body, causing unsteadiness, slower movements and difficulties walking.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Robust spending from wealthier Americans balances out the financial difficulties of lower-income households, preventing the broader economy from entering a recession.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardships.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardships. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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