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
That China under Communist rule is not an open society is hardly a surprise.
—
Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2025
Still, Shaheed notes that Roblox is hardly unique in struggling to ensure child safety.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2025
The audio doesn't impress, and the headphones can hardly cancel out more than a noisy fan.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
In the pantheon of New Yorker artists, the name Mary Petty hardly registers.
—Chris Ware, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2025
Still, Shaheed notes that Roblox is hardly unique in struggling to ensure child safety.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2025
The audio doesn't impress, and the headphones can hardly cancel out more than a noisy fan.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
In the pantheon of New Yorker artists, the name Mary Petty hardly registers.
—Chris Ware, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
And a Wi-Fi connection in a hotel is never guaranteed, no matter what the property description says.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
-
But no matter how the rest of this season shakes up, the two foes are set to meet for another historic clash next year.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
And while that should be central to conversations about tourism, it has barely been mentioned.—
Wilson Santiago Burgos,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Every superhero has an origin story and Scottie Scheffler’s narrative arc can be traced back to November 15, 2020 – a series of events that barely anybody noticed at the time.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
22 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
That means Illinois and other states need to step up and act while the federal government is sadly moving backwards.—
Howard Learner,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Aug. 2025
-
In the absence of moonlight, a single observer might see 45 to 90 meteors per hour on the peak night, a number that sadly cannot be hoped to be approached in 2025.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
If individuals using these tools decide that speed and profit outweigh creativity and collaborating with creatives who have worked hard to perfect their craft, then the use of these tools will never showcase the best of what a story can be.—
Braedon Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Such is the expectancy around Arsenal now, a 1-0 loss to a bewitching free kick, the kind of sudden inspiration that decides a close and claustrophobic game, hit the team hard.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
1 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Football is back Swift has never attended a Kansas City preseason game, but could that change tonight?—
Bryan West,
The Tennessean,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Trump has been nominated for the prize several times Trump has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in the past but has never won.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
The momentum is good news for ERS which will allow the retailer to scale quickly in a sector that is only just beginning to be developed.—
Kevin Rozario,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
-
The Kansas City Current have also scored a league-leading 36 goals, eight more than the Washington Spirit and San Diego Wave, while conceding just 10.—
Asli Pelit,
New York Times,
31 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
When the camera pans to Chanel, she is seen staring intently at Mckenzie before fixing her gaze on the cats.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
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Appearing over a video link from his prison in San Diego, Erik listened intently but appeared visibly shaken.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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