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
But skepticism is hardly just coming from mainstream media commentators.
—
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 17 June 2026
Gaudette used a series of AI tools — and not a single actor, producer or crew member — to tell his tender story of a man who, for all his travails, hardly wallows in his station.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
By day 10, all of the remaining sutures were gone, hardly leaving a trace… like disappearing ink.
—Michele Promaulayko, Allure, 17 June 2026
In any event, Quizlet is hardly the only place to find textbook answers.
—Jill Duffy, PC Magazine, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 17 June 2026
Gaudette used a series of AI tools — and not a single actor, producer or crew member — to tell his tender story of a man who, for all his travails, hardly wallows in his station.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
By day 10, all of the remaining sutures were gone, hardly leaving a trace… like disappearing ink.
—Michele Promaulayko, Allure, 17 June 2026
In any event, Quizlet is hardly the only place to find textbook answers.
—Jill Duffy, PC Magazine, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
Few sites, however, became such frequent battlegrounds as the parking lots of Home Depots, where day laborers congregate, or were hit as persistently and severely as the open air car washes that dot sunny Southern California.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
And that rule no longer exists.—
Barry Svrluga,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
This Program is no longer in existence.—
Sooji Nam,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Adverb
-
Villanova would toss the Owls aside by 20 for its 22nd consecutive win against their Philly opponents, a walkover victory that barely moved the needle anywhere outside of the city limits.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Offshore platforms — a chunk of the world's gas — barely show up.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
But sadly, this effort is being affected in a negative manner by neighboring counties.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 June 2026
-
An Indianapolis woman reported missing earlier this year along with her seven children has sadly been found dead in Mexico, though her kids are safe, her family told IndyStar.—
Joe Mutascio,
IndyStar,
10 June 2026
Adverb
-
The United States often feels more fractured than fraternal, a search for commonality hard to find in a land of boundaries drawn harder each day.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
Condos have been hit hard by rising costs associated with ownership, such as HOA dues and homeowners insurance.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
The peak came as the Great Recession, touched off by a housing and financial crisis, rippled harshly through the global economy.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
14 June 2026
-
Political dissent can be harshly policed outside the stadium, but domestic clubs’ most ardent fan groups, often called ultras, are brazenly outspoken in their cheering.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
Adverb
-
Yet, the share of retirees who work has never ranged higher than 34%.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
She's lived through many hurricanes and other storms, but never witnessed thunder and lightning like this.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Adverb
-
Going slightly lighter in the center and matching your overall skin tone at the outer edges creates a more natural, dimensional result.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
13 June 2026
-
Stray electric and magnetic fields that can slightly disturb electrons have far less influence on the nucleus.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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