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
Mike Stunson At the Great American State Fair in Washington, DC, this morning, hardly a minute passed without the thunderous roar of military aircraft overhead.
—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
How to protect your data against hackers Lemonade is hardly alone in falling prey to cyberattacks.
—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
3 July 2026
Mundane life can hardly compete with the glamorous charisma of Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart in Vertigo or the epic vistas in Lawrence of Arabia.
—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
2 July 2026
There was hardly a rush; those of us staying on board all the way to Los Angeles still had another 24 hours to go.
—
Jordan Salama,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
How to protect your data against hackers Lemonade is hardly alone in falling prey to cyberattacks.
—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
3 July 2026
Mundane life can hardly compete with the glamorous charisma of Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart in Vertigo or the epic vistas in Lawrence of Arabia.
—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
2 July 2026
There was hardly a rush; those of us staying on board all the way to Los Angeles still had another 24 hours to go.
—
Jordan Salama,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
Atmos is already facing a lawsuit over the explosion from a resident who was severely burned.
-
Nearby Elephant Butte Lake, a draw for outdoorsy tourists, is so severely drought-depleted that sunbaked fish carcasses line its shores.
Adverb
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And this year was no different as 30,419 fans showed up on Saturday night.
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As Eric Suarez and Brandon Welty pulled their duo of airboats off to the side of an island in the Everglades, this spot looked no different from the rest of the canal.
Adverb
-
Everyone is over the moon with the experience, especially Aesha, who can barely contain her happiness; the night set the bar very high for the rest of the season.
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But as JuJu Watkins took her place in front of a microphone for the first time since returning to practice this summer, the USC superstar barely could contain her gratitude.
Adverb
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To its sadly unusual credit, each Enola Holmes film has taken on a different social issue to address, albeit at times rather on the nose-edly.
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The Prince of Wales sadly won’t be attending Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s wedding Friday in New York City, but the heir to the British throne nonetheless made sure to offer some royal prestige to events.
Adverb
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That means many households will be paying more per kilowatt-hour at the same time air conditioners are running longer and harder, a combination that can quickly drive up summer statements.
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Progressive lawmakers had pushed hard for state leaders to protect health care for undocumented immigrants.
Adverb
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Overthinking and procrastination are two of the habits people confess to most readily and blame on themselves most harshly, and two of the habits most often misread.
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That can be useful because jurors can be more reluctant to sentence a woman harshly, writes Victor Streib, a law professor at Elon University in North Carolina who has researched the treatment of women on death row.
Adverb
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That day, like a frustrated patron in the Champagne room, never came.
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Some of the women who were angry contacted the SFMOMA not simply to share feedback, but to try to ensure Bahr could never work with the institution again.
Adverb
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Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn hit a flyout to Crow-Armstrong, who zigzagged a bit before making a slightly awkward catch for the first out of the frame.
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Their menu is seasonal and slightly whimsical while retaining a clear vision, a good representation of the many personalities that make up the Kimball House team.
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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