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
Still, this is hardly ideal for a defensive line that’s been only adequate outside of defensive end Boubacar Traore.
—
Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
To be clear, access is nice for journalists, but hardly essential.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Today there was hardly a cloud in the bold blue sky, or only a few anyway.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
But Atlanta hardly stood still this summer.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
To be clear, access is nice for journalists, but hardly essential.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Today there was hardly a cloud in the bold blue sky, or only a few anyway.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
But Atlanta hardly stood still this summer.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
On July 14, a jury of 10 women and two men found Serafini guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder for the shooting that killed his father-in-law Gary Spohr, 70, and severely wounded his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, 68, at their home.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
21 Oct. 2025
-
But Israel continues to severely restrict crossings open for aid shipments and who can send aid through them.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
21 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
But excellence and independence are all but impossible to consistently maintain without the steady backing of mentors or salaries, and when the incentives of the internet reward virality no matter how it’s achieved.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
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Nevertheless The Grabber is a fun nemesis, and this movie no doubt is set up for yet another sequel in a few years time, hopefully with Finn and Gwen as young adults still haunted.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
17 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Plus, Jeff soon regains his memory, and after realizing he’s now forced to be a working stiff barely keeping his head above water, he’s pissed.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Front row at the Dior spring 2026 show in Paris, a few weeks later, her layers were prominent; the short ends just barely brushing her oversize sunglasses.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
That’s because, sadly, many bat populations have declined in recent years due to factors including habitat loss, wind turbines, and white nose syndrome (WNS), a devastating fungal disease which disrupts their natural hibernation cycles.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
-
But, sadly for us, relationships are a bit messier than probability would have it.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
In police bodycam footage shown in The Perfect Neighbor, Lorincz claims that Owens had been banging on her locked front door so hard that her house started shaking.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Oct. 2025
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Every day, we are inundated with imagery urging us to work harder, buy more … and never stop.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The Justices have also harshly criticized lower-court judges who have blocked the Administration’s actions, including Young, who went so far as to apologize from the bench.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Despite those concessions, the law has been harshly criticized by Neighbors for a Better California, a group that advocates for preservation of single-family neighborhoods.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Right now, there’s a broad consensus that the global populist right understands our almost post-literate new media in a way their opponents never will.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
20 Oct. 2025
-
God never sanctions cruelty; love that harms is not love at all.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Jourdan is a relatively calm ghost (staff report objects being moved around the restaurant), but there’s a slightly more active spirit in the Courtyard Bar, where there have been three instances of an unknown source throwing a glass from across the room.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
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In swing states, where his approval is only slightly below 50 percent, his ability to maintain political momentum could influence legislative priorities, party strategy, and the positioning of potential challengers.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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