as in poor
lacking money or material possessions
despite being undeniably hard up, they had too much pride to accept charity
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hard up
Cleveland Browns Stadium, hard up against the Science Center lawn, was plunged into darkness.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Apr. 2024
Once the timing of the case pushed hard up against a national election in which Trump was likely to run, forbearance would have been the proper and public-spirited course.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 14 Jan. 2024
Considering the Heat’s position hard up against the second apron of the punitive luxury tax, 10–day contracts stand as a means to pay only when needed, 10 days at a time, at the veteran-minimum, scale.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2024
The Habs are getting there, incrementally, and GM Kent Hughes might have to consider surrendering the No. 5 pick if one of the 10-12 clubs hard up against the cap offers an overpayment in terms of legit NHL players under contract.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for hard up 
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Apr. 2024
Once the timing of the case pushed hard up against a national election in which Trump was likely to run, forbearance would have been the proper and public-spirited course.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 14 Jan. 2024
Considering the Heat’s position hard up against the second apron of the punitive luxury tax, 10–day contracts stand as a means to pay only when needed, 10 days at a time, at the veteran-minimum, scale.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2024
The Habs are getting there, incrementally, and GM Kent Hughes might have to consider surrendering the No. 5 pick if one of the 10-12 clubs hard up against the cap offers an overpayment in terms of legit NHL players under contract.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for hard up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard up
Adjective
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Lopetegui was eventually sacked on January 8, having failed to fix West Ham’s poor form.—
Roshane Thomas,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
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Though Osbourne had a farewell tour set to begin in 2023, he was forced to cancel the shows due to poor health.—
Rosa Rahimi,
CNN,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Like De Fontenay’s debut feature Mobile Homes, which followed an impoverished family scraping by in upstate New York, Sukkwan Island has a powerful immersive quality that makes up for some of its dramatic shortcomings, especially dialogue that can feel either stilted or too on-the-nose.—
Jordan Mintzer,
The Hollywood Reporter,
25 Jan. 2025
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The states that voted for Trump also tend to be more dependent on those federal funds and have more impoverished areas.—
Peter Greene,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Seeger invites the broke musician to stay on his couch and into the heart of his family and takes him under his wing.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
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About half of participants lost money, and 1 in 6 went broke.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
13 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hard up
Cite this Entry
“Hard up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard%20up. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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