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
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
This is hardly the first awkward moment caused by Castellanos since the Brenneman incident.
—
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025
But the New York Times estimates that this would only save about $100 billion over ten years, which is hardly sufficient on its own.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
This is still hardly equitable, but women have made some gains.
—Kweilin Ellingrud, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
The distinction hardly mattered.
—Beverly Gage, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025
But the New York Times estimates that this would only save about $100 billion over ten years, which is hardly sufficient on its own.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
This is still hardly equitable, but women have made some gains.
—Kweilin Ellingrud, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
The distinction hardly mattered.
—Beverly Gage, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
-
Your outlook for 2025: To keep moving forward, on and on, no matter what.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Unlike thong sandals or mules, these project a more sophisticated appearance, perfect for elevating any outfit, no matter how simple.—
Renata Joffre,
Glamour,
13 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Hailey Bieber just broke her streak of wearing ultra-subtle, barely there manis with a very out-of-character color choice.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Zandi believes the nation ultimately will sidestep a downturn because Trump administration officials will grant countries enough exemptions and carve-outs or negotiate down the tariffs to keep the economy afloat – barely.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
The hot tub in said stand isn’t open, sadly, but its ground floor is, for people to buy lager, ice cream, coffee, tacos, cocktails and, of course, Pimms.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
-
How was that experience for you, working with her to create a representation of these things that, sadly, happened?—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
And then there's the national security angle, which Google has been pushing harder since the start of the year.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
21 Apr. 2025
-
What a perfect description of a hotel that works hard to make your repose as graceful as possible.—
Chloe Malle,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Even as Jesus is shown nailed to the cross, the points of incision on his palms are blurred and blood never enters the frame.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The Oscars are finally recognizing stunts with a new category, something long desired by stunt people but never realized until now.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
But the Heat then scored just 21 points while shooting 1 of 6 (16.7 percent) on threes in the fourth quarter.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2025
-
By episode 2, the former Fireflies make it to an area just outside Jackson and see how heavily fortified the city is.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Additionally, in her second Combs case ruling today, US District Judge Jennifer Rochon rejected a Jane Doe motion to keep her real intently hidden.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Sitting cross-legged in an armchair, a woman in a beret and an open fur coat exposing a scarlet dress gazes intently with pursed lips.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share