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
Not nothing, but hardly a revolutionary advancement.
—
Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
With about 2 million visitors annually, Crystal Cove is hardly a secret.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Throughout the 1950s, Volkswagen’s Type 2 microbus was hardly a collectible, but rather a tradesman’s workhorse, or a wholesome weekend motel on wheels for families camping mostly across Europe and North America.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2025
The broadcast networks are beholden to Trump’s FCC in a way cable channels aren’t, but that’s hardly reassuring.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
With about 2 million visitors annually, Crystal Cove is hardly a secret.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Throughout the 1950s, Volkswagen’s Type 2 microbus was hardly a collectible, but rather a tradesman’s workhorse, or a wholesome weekend motel on wheels for families camping mostly across Europe and North America.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2025
The broadcast networks are beholden to Trump’s FCC in a way cable channels aren’t, but that’s hardly reassuring.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
But with Burrow now looking likely to miss the majority of the regular season, those chances look severely diminished.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
16 Sep. 2025
-
This stagnation can severely impact marketability and career growth when the labor market eventually improves.—
Kara Dennison,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Regardless, these comments are blatantly insensitive as political violence should never be tolerated or exploited as comedic entertainment, no matter who perpetrated it.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Now this is a vintage appetizer Grandpa is no doubt familiar with.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Slater’s first blast of the evening was a true wall-scraper in the top of the third, barely clearing the center-field fence to give the Giants an early 1-0 lead.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Even in our Paris years, our Papa years, those Sunday lunches barely did anything for the general atmosphere of panic and hypertension.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
He eventually was contacted by a Korean company to audition for them, but sadly, didn’t make it.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
This is, sadly, a lost art; now everything is an elaborate ballet of calling, texting, and planning, with little room for spontaneity.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
The bristles are neither too floppy nor too stiff, neither too long nor too short, and are cut to the perfect rounded shape that’s just right for swirling pigment over the apples or spreading it along your cheekbones—without having to work too hard for a completely natural finish.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Eagles went chasing on a third-and-8 situation at the Chiefs’ 33 at the start of the third quarter, and Smith went down hard after a deep pass from Hurts fell incomplete along the left sideline.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Paes spoke passionately about the urgent need for resources in the harshly remote settings seen in the film — settings that help to foment these cycles of abuse.—
Stacey Wilson Hunt,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Hilleary, at the campaign event, also harshly criticized Biden’s immigration policies and his administration’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Both were characterised by his never-give-up mantra, and won on the final day of the season.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
-
As chaotic and inventive as Vampire Weekend‘s arrangements get over five studio albums, things never feel out of control.—
William Earl,
Variety,
21 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
All major indexes dipped slightly Tuesday, with tech shares such as Nvidia and Microsoft pulling back.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
-
That was almost two decades after the Academy had awarded him an honorary Oscar and slightly more than two years after President Obama had given him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.—
Stephen Galloway,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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