hardly

adverb

hard·ly ˈhärd-lē How to pronounce hardly (audio)

—used to emphasize a minimal amount or degree

I hardly knew her. [=I didn't know her well at all.]It's almost new—there's hardly a scratch [=there are almost no scratches] on it.There's been hardly any [=almost no] news.There's hardly any [=almost none] left.Hardly anyone [=almost no one] showed up.We hardly ever [=almost never] see you these days!

: by a narrow margin of time : only just

We've hardly begun.

: almost not

I can hardly believe it!

She was hardly able to control her excitement.

: certainly not

That news is hardly surprising.

That hardly seems fair. [=that certainly does not seem fair]

If you're satisfied with what you've got, you're hardly going to look for anything better.—

Flannery O'Connor

informal

—used to soften a negative

… you can't hardly tell who anyone is or isn't.—

George Bernard Shaw

dated : with difficulty : painfully

… where the means of existence was wrung so hardly from the soil …—

Sir Winston Churchill

dated : in a severe manner : harshly

Things may go hardly with us … before the war is over.—

Nevil Shute

… he ranted on in a towering passion of wrath and grief. … He believed himself hardly used indeed.—

E. Barrington (Elizabeth Louisa Moresby Beck)

archaic : with force : vigorously

… earrings jangling down hardly on diminutive gold chains …—

Osbert Sitwell

Can hardly be used with a negative?: Usage Guide

Hardly in sense 1d is used sometimes with not for emphasis.

Just another day at the office? Not hardly.

In sense 1e with a negative verb (such as can't, wouldn't, didn't) it does not make a double negative but softens the negative. In "you can't hardly find a red one," the sense is that you can find a red one, but only with difficulty; in "you can't find a red one," the sense is that red ones are simply not available. Use of hardly with a negative verb is a speech form; it is most commonly heard in Southern and Midland speech areas. In other speech areas and in all discursive prose, hardly is normally used with a positive.

You can hardly find a red one.

Example Sentences

It hardly matters what I think. The changes in service have hardly been noticed. There are hardly any new features in this software. Hardly anyone showed up for the meeting. Hardly a day goes by when I don't think about you. This is hardly a new idea for a movie. “Is this a new idea for a movie?” “Hardly! I've seen dozens of movies just like it.” See More

Recent Examples on the Web The Synnestvedts are hardly the only siblings C-C’s Jeff Campbell has coached in his 10-year tenure leading the school’s Nordic program. —

Brad Joyal, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Feb. 2023 However, the need to foresee the future, and the limited ability to predict unexpected and extreme challenges is hardly a new phenomenon. —

Hec Paris Insights, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023 Real estate along the rope was hardly at a premium, even when Emmitt Smith and Carli Lloyd come by. —

The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2023 That vote will hardly be the last say on the plan, which is expected to remain alive in the House’s budget bill, which also contains language to create a stadium authority. —

Sam Fortier, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2023 The decades since have hardly been unmitigated failures. —

Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2023 There was hardly a dry eye in the Crypto.com Arena nor on couches around the world watching the 2023 Grammy Awards during its in memoriam segment, which honored the biggest names in music that died in the past year. —

Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2023 The balloon was hardly a birthday party fly-away: Up to 200 feet tall, with a payload weighing more than 2,000 pounds, and potentially with explosives to self-detonate if China so chose. —

The Editorial Board, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023 But Jasmine Sharma, the recent Northwestern graduate who wrote this play, and Grace Dolezal-Ng, a fellow graduate, who directed it for Shattered Globe Theatre hardly are all-in with the Greek system. —

Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2023 See More

hardly

adverb

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

severely
harshly
hard
oppressively
brutally
roughly
ill
sternly
strongly
stiffly
uncharitably
firmly
aggressively
grimly
unfeelingly
ruthlessly
heartlessly
unsparingly
pitilessly
obdurately
callously
decidedly
mercilessly
abusively
toughly
viciously
insensitively
savagely
tyrannically
resolutely
hard-heartedly
brutishly
inhumanly
inhumanely
unmercifully
determinedly
insensately
cold-bloodedly
assertively
gruffly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lightly
mildly
gently
kindly
leniently
softly
graciously
cordially
tenderly
lovingly
benevolently
clemently
charitably
mercifully
considerately
understandingly
sympathetically
benignantly
tolerantly
humanely
compassionately
softheartedly

as in no

certainly not I would hardly think someone with her attitude could make a good manager

Synonyms & Similar Words

no
never
none
scarcely
nothing
nothing doing
ill
nowhere
noway
no way
on no account
nowise
by no means
near

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

certainly
surely
definitely
absolutely
completely
most
quite
very
positively
highly
extremely
really
terribly
clearly
exceedingly
exceeding
awfully
truly
greatly
unquestionably
immensely
enormously
awful
plainly
mighty
perfectly
assuredly
rather
utterly
mostly
unequivocally
somewhat
mightily
hugely
doubtless
slightly
hands down
more or less

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

barely
slightly
just
scarcely
narrowly
almost
somewhat
marginally
nearly
minimally
minutely
by the skin of one's teeth
closely
partly
roughly
approximately
scantly
plus or minus
more or less

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

quite
well
significantly
substantially
easily
considerably
definitely
plainly
vastly
fully
completely
positively
unquestionably
greatly
abundantly
generously
copiously

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

sadly
bitterly
hard
sorrowfully
painfully
unhappily
regretfully
mournfully
woefully
sharply
harshly
ruefully
sorely
wailfully
dolorously
severely
grievously
resentfully
lugubriously
wretchedly
agonizingly
plaintively
dolefully
inconsolably
cheerlessly
distressfully
drearily
miserably
distressingly
abjectly
dispiritedly
acutely
dismally
keenly
joylessly
despairingly
pessimistically
dejectedly
ill
downheartedly
forlornly
despondently
sullenly
glumly
dourly
poignantly
piercingly
morosely
disconsolately
somberly
crestfallenly
darkly
cruelly
low-spiritedly
rancorously
gloomily
hurtfully
blackly
mirthlessly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

happily
gladly
blissfully
easily
joyfully
joyously
cheerfully
gleefully
casually
delightedly
lightly
merrily
lightheartedly
cheerily
blithely
sunnily
well
mirthfully
rejoicingly
gaily
indifferently
calmly
stoically
gayly
dispassionately
nonchalantly
unconcernedly
favorably
impassively
good-naturedly
blithesomely

as in hard

with great effort or determination the state championship was a hardly fought contest between two evenly matched teams

Synonyms & Similar Words

hard
intensely
intensively
intently
resolutely
diligently
continuously
purposefully
slavishly
determinedly
arduously
doggedly
seriously
actively
laboriously
assiduously
strenuously
industriously
vigorously
amain
steadily
thoroughly
mightily
vehemently
sedulously
busily
energetically
dynamically
unremittingly
briskly
spiritedly
exhaustively
feverishly
unrelentingly
animatedly
steadfastly
willfully
conscientiously
ardently
zealously
painstakingly
meticulously
attentively
unabatedly
ploddingly
stubbornly
unflaggingly
earnestly
indefatigably
tirelessly
wearilessly
obstinately
untiringly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

casually
lazily
wearily
halfheartedly
sluggishly
listlessly
languidly
indolently
desultorily
lackadaisically
tiredly
shiftlessly
spiritlessly

单词	hardly
释义	hardly adverb hard·ly ˈhärd-lē 1 a —used to emphasize a minimal amount or degree I hardly knew her. [=I didn't know her well at all.]It's almost new—there's hardly a scratch [=there are almost no scratches] on it.There's been hardly any [=almost no] news.There's hardly any [=almost none] left.Hardly anyone [=almost no one] showed up.We hardly ever [=almost never] see you these days! b : by a narrow margin of time : only just We've hardly begun. c : almost not I can hardly believe it! She was hardly able to control her excitement. d : certainly not That news is hardly surprising. That hardly seems fair. [=that certainly does not seem fair] If you're satisfied with what you've got, you're hardly going to look for anything better.—Flannery O'Connor e informal —used to soften a negative … you can't hardly tell who anyone is or isn't.—George Bernard Shaw 2 dated : with difficulty : painfully … where the means of existence was wrung so hardly from the soil …—Sir Winston Churchill 3 dated : in a severe manner : harshly Things may go hardly with us … before the war is over.—Nevil Shute … he ranted on in a towering passion of wrath and grief. … He believed himself hardly used indeed.—E. Barrington (Elizabeth Louisa Moresby Beck) 4 archaic : with force : vigorously … earrings jangling down hardly on diminutive gold chains …—Osbert Sitwell Can hardly be used with a negative?: Usage Guide Hardly in sense 1d is used sometimes with not for emphasis. Just another day at the office? Not hardly. In sense 1e with a negative verb (such as can't, wouldn't, didn't) it does not make a double negative but softens the negative. In "you can't hardly find a red one," the sense is that you can find a red one, but only with difficulty; in "you can't find a red one," the sense is that red ones are simply not available. Use of hardly with a negative verb is a speech form; it is most commonly heard in Southern and Midland speech areas. In other speech areas and in all discursive prose, hardly is normally used with a positive. You can hardly find a red one. Synonyms brutally hard harshly ill oppressively roughly severely sternly stiffly See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences It hardly matters what I think. The changes in service have hardly been noticed. There are hardly any new features in this software. Hardly anyone showed up for the meeting. Hardly a day goes by when I don't think about you. This is hardly a new idea for a movie. “Is this a new idea for a movie?” “Hardly! I've seen dozens of movies just like it.” See More Recent Examples on the Web The Synnestvedts are hardly the only siblings C-C’s Jeff Campbell has coached in his 10-year tenure leading the school’s Nordic program. —Brad Joyal, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Feb. 2023 However, the need to foresee the future, and the limited ability to predict unexpected and extreme challenges is hardly a new phenomenon. —Hec Paris Insights, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023 Real estate along the rope was hardly at a premium, even when Emmitt Smith and Carli Lloyd come by. —The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2023 That vote will hardly be the last say on the plan, which is expected to remain alive in the House’s budget bill, which also contains language to create a stadium authority. —Sam Fortier, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2023 The decades since have hardly been unmitigated failures. —Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2023 There was hardly a dry eye in the Crypto.com Arena nor on couches around the world watching the 2023 Grammy Awards during its in memoriam segment, which honored the biggest names in music that died in the past year. —Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2023 The balloon was hardly a birthday party fly-away: Up to 200 feet tall, with a payload weighing more than 2,000 pounds, and potentially with explosives to self-detonate if China so chose. —The Editorial Board, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023 But Jasmine Sharma, the recent Northwestern graduate who wrote this play, and Grace Dolezal-Ng, a fellow graduate, who directed it for Shattered Globe Theatre hardly are all-in with the Greek system. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2023 See More Word History First Known Use before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4 Phrases Containing hardly can hardly wait hardly/scarcely than hardly ever hardly a hardly any can hardly wait hardly/scarcely than hardly ever hardly a hardly any Kids Definition hardly adverb hard·ly ˈhärd-lē 1 : in a severe or harsh manner deal hardly with them 2 : with difficulty a hardly won victory 3 : only just : barely, scarcely we hardly knew them 4 : certainly not that news is hardly surprising hardly adverb 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 severely harshly hard oppressively brutally roughly ill sternly strongly stiffly uncharitably firmly aggressively grimly unfeelingly ruthlessly heartlessly unsparingly pitilessly obdurately callously decidedly mercilessly abusively toughly viciously insensitively savagely tyrannically resolutely hard-heartedly brutishly inhumanly inhumanely unmercifully determinedly insensately cold-bloodedly assertively gruffly Antonyms & Near Antonyms lightly mildly gently kindly leniently softly graciously cordially tenderly lovingly benevolently clemently charitably mercifully considerately understandingly sympathetically benignantly tolerantly humanely compassionately softheartedly See More 2 as in no certainly not I would hardly think someone with her attitude could make a good manager Synonyms & Similar Words no never none scarcely nothing nothing doing ill nowhere noway no way on no account nowise by no means near Antonyms & Near Antonyms certainly surely definitely absolutely completely most quite very positively highly extremely really terribly clearly exceedingly exceeding awfully truly greatly unquestionably immensely enormously awful plainly mighty perfectly assuredly rather utterly mostly unequivocally somewhat mightily hugely doubtless slightly hands down more or less See More 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 barely slightly just scarcely narrowly almost somewhat marginally nearly minimally minutely by the skin of one's teeth closely partly roughly approximately scantly plus or minus more or less Antonyms & Near Antonyms quite well significantly substantially easily considerably definitely plainly vastly fully completely positively unquestionably greatly abundantly generously copiously See More 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 sadly bitterly hard sorrowfully painfully unhappily regretfully mournfully woefully sharply harshly ruefully sorely wailfully dolorously severely grievously resentfully lugubriously wretchedly agonizingly plaintively dolefully inconsolably cheerlessly distressfully drearily miserably distressingly abjectly dispiritedly acutely dismally keenly joylessly despairingly pessimistically dejectedly ill downheartedly forlornly despondently sullenly glumly dourly poignantly piercingly morosely disconsolately somberly crestfallenly darkly cruelly low-spiritedly rancorously gloomily hurtfully blackly mirthlessly Antonyms & Near Antonyms happily gladly blissfully easily joyfully joyously cheerfully gleefully casually delightedly lightly merrily lightheartedly cheerily blithely sunnily well mirthfully rejoicingly gaily indifferently calmly stoically gayly dispassionately nonchalantly unconcernedly favorably impassively good-naturedly blithesomely See More 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 hard intensely intensively intently resolutely diligently continuously purposefully slavishly determinedly arduously doggedly seriously actively laboriously assiduously strenuously industriously vigorously amain steadily thoroughly mightily vehemently sedulously busily energetically dynamically unremittingly briskly spiritedly exhaustively feverishly unrelentingly animatedly steadfastly willfully conscientiously ardently zealously painstakingly meticulously attentively unabatedly ploddingly stubbornly unflaggingly earnestly indefatigably tirelessly wearilessly obstinately untiringly Antonyms & Near Antonyms casually lazily wearily halfheartedly sluggishly listlessly languidly indolently desultorily lackadaisically tiredly shiftlessly spiritlessly See More
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hardly

adverb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing hardly

Kids Definition

adverb