Meaning

(idiomatic, usually with to-infinitive) Barely able. Having difficulty doing something..

Definitions by Sense

1. (idiomatic, usually with to-infinitive) Barely able. Having difficulty doing something.
2. (idiomatic) Experiencing financial difficulty or difficulty in surviving.

Example Sentences

Although they are still available, I think we would be hard-pressed to find one on short notice.

From the 'fifties onwards the development of the South Wales & Monmouthshire coalfield went on at terrific speed, and railway construction was hard pressed to keep pace with it.

These units will replace the 2,800 h.p. motor coaches on the fast and heavy Zurich-Berne-Lausanne-Geneva push-and-pull expresses, which in their turn have been relieving the hard-pressed 2,520 h.p. Bo-Bo locomotives of the Re 4/4 type.

The earthquake left the residents hard-pressed.

Speaking to Parliament on March 23, Sunak announced a temporary cut in fuel duty of 5p per litre to hard-pressed motorists who have faced spiralling prices for diesel and petrol in recent weeks.

Word Forms

• more hard-pressed
• most hard-pressed
• hard pressed
• hardpressed

Synonyms for hard-pressed

Related Words

When Should You Use Hard-pressed?

Use hard-pressed when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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