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
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3
as in barely
by a very small margin
we were hardly able to make it back to camp before darkness set in
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4
as in sadly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
his broker did not think that he would take his financial losses so hardly
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5
as in hard
with great effort or determination
the state championship was a hardly fought contest between two evenly matched teams
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardly
Musk is hardly alone in throwing his support to a candidate, and plenty of celebrities—from Hulk Hogan to Taylor Swift—have made their opinion loud and clear on social media.
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Peter Suciu, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
The election of 1876 was even worse, and over two names most Americans today will hardly recognize: Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
This scenario was hardly conceivable four years ago, when Trump refused to attend Joe Biden’s inauguration after inciting a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol and prevent the peaceful transfer of power.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
Hip-hop’s involvement in social justice is hardly new; the genre has long served as a platform for cultural commentary and political activism.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hardly 
Peter Suciu, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
The election of 1876 was even worse, and over two names most Americans today will hardly recognize: Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
This scenario was hardly conceivable four years ago, when Trump refused to attend Joe Biden’s inauguration after inciting a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol and prevent the peaceful transfer of power.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
Hip-hop’s involvement in social justice is hardly new; the genre has long served as a platform for cultural commentary and political activism.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hardly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardly
Adverb
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Fortunately, Saldaña — the main character here no matter what any potential Awards nominations might claim — is an extremely gifted actor, singer and dancer, and throws herself fully into the role.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
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Ostensibly, this is Wyler calling Penn unfit, and The Diplomat spins it as more evidence of Wyler’s sacrifice, her willingness to do what’s best for her country no matter what.Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
Adverb
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By contrast, in the debate-free tests, the nonhuman judges answered correctly only 54% of the time, a result just barely better than flipping a coin.Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
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House District 71 Former State Rep. Rita Fleming, D-Jeffersonville, barely defended her seat in 2022 against Republican Scott Hawkins, a teacher and Jefferson city councilor, who lost by less than 300 votes.Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Nov. 2024
Adverb
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Those wives, whether alone or in groups, always seem to be sadly gazing at Louis from a distance, like Grizabella waiting for her moment at the Jellicle Ball.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
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Jaylen Black, vice president of marketing communications for Planned Parenthood Southeast — which operates health centers in Georgia — said that the stories are sadly unsurprising and that additional deaths have most likely gone unreported.Randi Richardson, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Adverb
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While full repeal of the act may be unlikely, an administration hostile to clean energy could divert its unspent funds to other purposes, slow the pace of grants or loans by slow-walking project approvals, or find other ways to make the tax incentives harder to get.James Morton Turner, Discover Magazine, 9 Nov. 2024
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The misconception that working harder could prevent or treat depression may further stigmatize those who are affected and discourage them from seeking treatment.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Adverb
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Sedona is many things, but in my book, overrated will never be one of them.Erin Strout, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
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Not only that, but his team stood toe-to-toe with Mahomes and the unbeaten Chiefs on the road and never blinked.Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Adverb
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To name just one example: After an opening act filled with lurid cartel violence, Emilia Pérez gives us a comic number about gender-reassignment surgery.Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2024
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While climate denial allows people to protect themselves from feelings of distress, terror management theory suggests that denying death is just the tip of the iceberg.Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
Adverb
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Washington should work intently to cooperate with Beijing to tame rivalry and advance joint efforts to tackle global challenges.Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2024
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Baker seemed skeptical and confused by Republicans’ argument during Tuesday’s hearing, intently questioning lawyers for the RNC about their primary claim.Ella Lee, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hardly
Cite this Entry
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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