Hardly

/ˈhɑːdli/ · adverb

Meaning

(degree) Barely, only just, almost not..

Definitions by Sense

1. (degree) Barely, only just, almost not.
2. Certainly not; not at all.
3. (now rare) With difficulty.
4. (manner, dated) Harshly, severely; in a hard manner.
5. (manner, obsolete) Firmly, vigorously, with strength or exertion.
6. Not really.

Example Sentences

They hardly ever watch television.

It's hardly possible he could lose the election.

Hardly did I arrive when he left.

I could hardly have managed it in less time.

How lonely they looked as they lay there, and how ill assorted! That little heap had been for two thousand years the wisest, loveliest, proudest creature - I can hardly call her woman - in the whole universe.

I hardly think they'll come in this bad weather!

With this the second of three games in seven days for Stoke, it was hardly surprising to see nine changes from the side that started against Newcastle in the Premier League on Monday.

Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.

Synonyms for hardly

Antonyms for hardly

Related Words

Word Forms

• hardlier
• more hardly
• hardliest
• most hardly

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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