What does "hardly" mean?
Barely, only just, almost not.
Hardly
/ˈhɑɹdli/ adv, intj
adv, intj ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Barely, only just, almost not.
- Grammar: hardly is listed as adv, intj.
- Nearest alternatives: barely, scarcely, a bit, a little.
- Useful contrasts: bloody, darned, real.
- Usage evidence: We can hardly wait for the party on Friday.
How to use "hardly"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hardly" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hardly" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "hardly" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "hardly" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hardly" is acting as adv, intj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "barely" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "hardly", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adverb
- 1 Barely, only just, almost not.
"They hardly ever watch television."
- 2 Certainly not; not at all.
"I hardly think they'll come in this bad weather!"
- 3 With difficulty. archaic
"And what gentle flame soever doth warme the heart of young virgins, yet are they hardly drawne to leave and forgoe their mothers, to betake them to their husbands […]."
- 4 Harshly, severely; in a hard manner. dated
"I was a fool when I married him; and I am so far an incurable fool on that subject, that, for the sake of what I once believed him to be, I wouldn’t have even this shadow of my idle fancy hardly dealt with."
- 5 Firmly, vigorously, with strength or exertion. obsolete
"Let him hardly be possest with an honest curiositie to search out the nature and causes of all things […]."
Adverb
- 1 only a very short time before wordnet
- 2 almost not wordnet
- 3 slowly and with difficulty wordnet
Intj
- 1 Not really.
"I think the Beatles are a really overrated band. ― Hardly!"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"We can hardly wait for the party on Friday."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hardly"?
Common synonyms include: barely, scarcely, a bit, a little, abnormally, almost.
How do you use "hardly" in a sentence?
We can hardly wait for the party on Friday.
How do you pronounce "hardly"?
Pronounced /ˈhɑɹdli/.
Etymology
From Middle English hardely, hardliche, from Old English heardlīċe (“boldly; hardily; without ease; in a way that causes pain; not easily; only by degrees”), equivalent to hard + -ly. Compare Dutch hardelijk, German härtlich.