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
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hardly
Once the sole activity of intrepid explorers only, frontier tourism—or going where no one (or, in reality, hardly anyone) has gone before—is on the rise.
—
Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The Marines are hardly the only threat to tortoises.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
The cover is sturdy and hardly noticeable, so the cleaning staff will likely not remove it.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2024
The special effects don’t quite measure up to what Trek offers, but that hardly matters given the great performances from actors like Bruce Boxleitner and Claudia Christian and storytelling that grows more epic by the season.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hardly 
Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The Marines are hardly the only threat to tortoises.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
The cover is sturdy and hardly noticeable, so the cleaning staff will likely not remove it.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2024
The special effects don’t quite measure up to what Trek offers, but that hardly matters given the great performances from actors like Bruce Boxleitner and Claudia Christian and storytelling that grows more epic by the season.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
The firm will no doubt advocate for the company to reduce its needlessly high SG&A expenses and right-size executive compensation to reflect business performance.Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2024
-
Squid Game season 2 is coming on December 26, however, and that will rule the list well through the new year, no doubt. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
The band barely toured the album, and Martin was so down and spending so much time alone that his bandmates were worried for his safety.Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 19 Dec. 2024
-
Somewhat lower, Mesa obtained 83rd place in the ranking, while Glendale and Peoria barely made it in the list at spots No. 144 and 145 respectively.Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 19 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
This is, sadly, the state of most of the discourse on the Manhattan.Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 21 Dec. 2024
-
After all, there’s nothing worse than wearing a gorgeous pair of new shoes that is, sadly, way too tight.Christina Pérez, Vogue, 21 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
Wilson, 32, made her TV acting debut portraying free-spirited musician Abby, who fell hard for bunkhouse cowboy Ryan (Ian Bohen) in 2023's Season 5 premiere.Bryan Alexander, The Enquirer, 16 Dec. 2024
-
Ain't nothing really gonna make a difference, Micah is gonna play hard.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
Children are never too young to become Swifties, which is why one mom has delighted the internet by educating her four kids on the singer's backlog of music videos (AKA theatrical masterpieces).Alyce Collins, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
-
With Jokić averaging 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists per game — marks that have never been reached in league’s history — the need to alleviate some of Jokić’s offensive burden is glaring.Sam Amick, The Athletic, 18 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
Featuring a solid brass buckle, it’s priced at just $97, just a notch below the $60 figure Burton gives as the absolute floor for a quality leather belt.Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 27 Dec. 2024
-
Except instead of a wig, this head sports a wispy curtain of just a few dozen hairs, held in place by double-sided tape.Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
In one video, the girls watched intently as a quartet of people riding horses and holding the American flag made their way down the street.Hannah Sacks, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024
-
Dawkins has become the star of the offensive line show for those who watch them intently enough.Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hardly
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share