as in perplexed
faced with difficulty or uncertainty about what to say, think, or do
they will be hard-pressed to come up with any facts that actually support their argument
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hard-pressed
The Department of Agriculture seems hard-pressed to return answers in time.
—
Joanna Thompson, The Atlantic, 20 May 2025
Their economic impact is obvious, and the Golden State would be hard-pressed to keep our status as a world-competing financial power without their labor.
—Anita Chabria, Mercury News, 17 May 2025
Ten years and tens of millions in salary separate the pitchers, but those who watched Thursday would be hard-pressed to notice.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 16 May 2025
In fact, from behind, people would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between an Oasis-class ship from World America with both featuring a multi-deck, twisting dry slide as a centerpiece of an open-air deck.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-pressed
Joanna Thompson, The Atlantic, 20 May 2025
Their economic impact is obvious, and the Golden State would be hard-pressed to keep our status as a world-competing financial power without their labor.
—Anita Chabria, Mercury News, 17 May 2025
Ten years and tens of millions in salary separate the pitchers, but those who watched Thursday would be hard-pressed to notice.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 16 May 2025
In fact, from behind, people would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between an Oasis-class ship from World America with both featuring a multi-deck, twisting dry slide as a centerpiece of an open-air deck.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-pressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-pressed
Adjective
-
But 100 days into the second Trump administration, those leaders are perplexed and concerned.—
Marc Lynch,
Foreign Affairs,
12 May 2025
-
Unlike last week — or most others this season, come to think of it — no one totally nails it, nor really expects to (… except for Massimo, who’s clearly perplexed when his mussel-and-clam pie ends up in the safe middle).—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Fans, of course, remain baffled and angry and depressed over the lack of any visible progress on Martin’s sixth A Song Of Ice And Fire novel, The Winds Of Winter.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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Delap’s cannon shoulders struck fear into a baffled division, like a medieval army who looked across the battlefield and realised that the opposing forces had technology far beyond theirs.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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But Evander Kane banked a puck off Esa Lindell’s skate and past a bewildered DeSmith less than three minutes later to restore the two-goal lead.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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Comments Jeffrey Dean Morgan was baffled, bewildered, and befuddled.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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The scene came up because the Lawrence brothers, who are all actors, were talking about having been nervous or even embarrassed in certain scenes.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
10 June 2025
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Hegseth, a former Fox News personality, was embarrassed in March when The Atlantic magazine's editor-in-chief was mistakenly included in a Signal chat in which the defense secretary discussed upcoming military strikes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard-pressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-pressed. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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