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
Responding to Subaru's example of notifying first responders about a collision, Curry notes that would hardly require a year's worth of location history.
—
Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 23 Jan. 2025
Trump’s destruction of DEI efforts within the federal government is hardly surprising.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2025
Last year’s champion was Michigan, which was sitting home watching this one but still played a special role in a Buckeyes redemption story hardly anyone saw coming.
—Eddie Pells, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Thousands of customers just got this Bioderma micellar water that acts as a gentle cleanser and makeup remover, and another lot of shoppers picked up this Verb shampoo and conditioner that’s hardly ever on sale.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hardly 
Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 23 Jan. 2025
Trump’s destruction of DEI efforts within the federal government is hardly surprising.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2025
Last year’s champion was Michigan, which was sitting home watching this one but still played a special role in a Buckeyes redemption story hardly anyone saw coming.
—Eddie Pells, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Thousands of customers just got this Bioderma micellar water that acts as a gentle cleanser and makeup remover, and another lot of shoppers picked up this Verb shampoo and conditioner that’s hardly ever on sale.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
Things will get no easier this week for the Hurricanes, who are 4-14 on the season and 0-7 in the ACC.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
20 Jan. 2025
-
The Ducks should be no worse than No. 3. Georgia ahead of Texas feels right, which also probably keeps the Bulldogs ahead of Penn State, which doesn’t feel quite as right.—
Ralph D. Russo,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
Ophelia barely registers; Gertrude gets less than two lines.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Yet in less than two years, that island has been whittled down by the sea to barely a dot — not much remains in the third photograph, dating to the end of 2024.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
18 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
Fast forward to 2025 and the club has been sadly demolished, but Bowen and Marchetto are still going strong.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vogue,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Google is always in the news and, sadly, not always for positive reasons as far as security issues are concerned.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
Replace air filters regularly to improve airflow and prevent the furnace from working harder than necessary.—
Joel Thayer,
Newsweek,
27 Jan. 2025
-
Hamilton pressed Baker hard, but without any trace of theatrics or posturing.—
John T. Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
And the former ArcLight at the Sherman Oaks Galleria, which bordered an evacuation area as the fire spread, was a ghost town (business has never been the same since Regal took over, sources say).—
Pamela McClintock,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Gallup found that recognition from direct managers or C-Suite leaders leaves the strongest impression, yet 28% of employees never receive recognition from the CEO, according to Nectar HR.—
Leeatt Rothschild,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
Violette’s final choice doesn’t make sense in the context of everything she’s experienced over the course of the film, and Florence’s just manifests too quickly.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2025
-
Lately, the 80-year-old gallerist has set her sights on Isola, a neighborhood just north of the city center that has attracted design workshops, thrift stores, and art studios.—
Denny Lee,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
Cunningham’s message to the group lasted no more than 30 seconds — with starting center Jalen Duren listening intently — but by the time the huddle dispersed, the team seemed unified.—
Kelly Iko,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
-
Shade liked watching birds but was also listening intently to the dial-up modem’s buzz.—
Alexandra Jacobs,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hardly
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share