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- DictionaryHard/härd/
adjective
- 1. solid, firm, and rigid; not easily broken, bent, or pierced: "a hard mattress" Similar firmsoliddenserigidstiffresistantunbreakableinflexibleunpliableimpenetrableunyieldingsolidifiedhardenedcompactcompactedsteelytoughstrongstonyrocklikeflintyclose-packedcompressedas hard as ironas hard as stonefrozenrare:adamantineunmalleablerenitentOpposite soft
- ▪ (of a person) not showing any signs of weakness; tough: "the hard, tough, honest cop"
- ▪ (of prices of stock, commodities, etc.) stable or firm in value.
- 2. done with a great deal of force or strength: "a hard blow to the head" Similar forcefulheavystrongsharpsmartviolentpowerfulvigorousmightyheftytremendousOpposite light
- 3. requiring a great deal of endurance or effort: "stooping over all day was hard work" Similar arduousstrenuoustiringfatiguingexhaustingwearyingback-breakinggruelingheavylaboriousdifficulttaxingexactingtestingchallengingdemandingpunishingtoughformidableonerousrigorousuphillHerculeaninformal:murderouskillinghellishknackeringrare:toilsomeexigentdifficultpuzzlingperplexingbafflingbewilderingmystifyingknottythornyticklishproblematicenigmaticcomplicatedcomplexintricateinvolvedtangledinsolubleunfathomableimpenetrableincomprehensibleunanswerableinformal:spinymind-bendinggnarlyrare:insolvablewilderingOpposite easysimple
- ▪ putting a lot of energy into an activity: "he'd been a hard worker all his life" Similar diligenthard-workingindustrioussedulousassiduousconscientiousenergetickeenenthusiasticzealousearnestperseveringpersistentunflagginguntiringindefatigablestudiousOpposite lazy
- ▪ difficult to bear; causing suffering: "times were hard at the end of the war" Similar harshgrimdifficultbadbleakdiretoughaustereunpleasantdisagreeableuncomfortableintolerableunendurableunbearableinsupportablestraitenedspartandarkseveredistressingpainfulawfulOpposite comfortableluxurious
- ▪ difficult to understand or solve: "this is a really hard question"
- ▪ not showing sympathy or affection; strict: "my father is no longer the hard man he once was" Similar strictharshfirmseveresterntoughrigorousdemandingexactingunkindunfriendlyunsympatheticcoldheartlesshard-heartedcold-heartedunfeelingintransigentunbendinguncompromisinginflexibleintolerantimplacablestubbornobdurateunyieldingunrelentingunsparinglacking compassiongrimruthlessmercilessoppressivetyrannicalpitilesscallouscruelviciousunjustunfairstanding no nonsenseruling with a rod of ironinformal:hard-boiledbadasssolidOpposite easygoingkind
- ▪ (of a season or the weather) severe: "it's been a long, hard winter" Similar bitterly coldcoldbitterharshsevereextremebleakfreezingicyicy-coldarcticpolarSiberianglacialinformal:BalticOpposite mild
- ▪ harsh or unpleasant to the senses: "the hard light of morning" Similar harshgrimdifficultbadbleakdiretoughaustereunpleasantdisagreeableuncomfortableintolerableunendurableunbearableinsupportablestraitenedspartandarkseveredistressingpainfulawfulOpposite comfortableluxurious
- ▪ (of wine) harsh or sharp to the taste, especially because of tannin.
- 4. (of information) reliable, especially because based on something true or substantiated: "hard facts about the underclass are maddeningly elusive" Similar reliabledefinitetrueactualconfirmedundeniableindisputableunquestionableverifiableplaincoldbareboldharshunvarnishedunembellishedOpposite unverified
- ▪ (of a subject of study) dealing with precise and verifiable facts: "efforts to turn psychology into hard science"
- ▪ denoting an extreme or dogmatic faction within a political party: "the hard left"
- ▪ (of science fiction) dealing with technological advances which do not contravene currently accepted scientific laws or principles: "a hard SF novel"
- 5. (of liquor) strongly alcoholic; denoting distilled spirits rather than beer or wine. Similar alcoholicstrongintoxicatinginebriatingstiffpotentspirituousvinousintoxicantOpposite nonalcoholiclow-alcohol
- ▪ (of apple cider) having alcoholic content from fermentation. US
- ▪ (of a drug) potent and addictive. Similar addictivehabit-formingcausing dependencystrongharmfulnarcoticOpposite soft
- ▪ (of radiation) highly penetrating.
- ▪ (of pornography) highly obscene and explicit.
- 6. (of water) containing relatively high concentrations of dissolved calcium and magnesium salts, which make lathering difficult: "hard water requires much more soap, shampoo, or detergent than soft water"
- 7. (of the penis, clitoris, or nipples) erect.
- ▪ (of a man) having an erect penis.
- 8. (of a consonant) pronounced as c in cat or g in go.
adverb
- 1. with a great deal of effort: "they work hard at school" Similar diligentlyindustriouslyassiduouslyconscientiouslysedulouslybusilyintenselyenthusiasticallyenergeticallyearnestlypersistentlydoggedlysteadilyindefatigablyuntiringlyall outwith applicationwith perseveranceinformal:like madlike crazylike billy-owith difficultywith effortafter a strugglepainfullyarduouslylaboriouslyOpposite lackadaisicallyeasily
- ▪ with a great deal of force; violently: "it was raining hard" Similar forcefullyforciblyfiercelyroughlypowerfullystronglystrenuouslyheavilysharplyvigorouslyintenselyenergeticallywith all one's mightwith might and mainwith vigorwith forcewith great effortheavilystronglyintenselyin torrentsin sheetscats and dogssteadilyinformal:bucketsbucketloadsstair rodspitchforksOpposite gentlylightly
- 2. so as to be solid or firm: "the mortar has set hard"
- 3. to the fullest extent possible: "put the wheel hard over to starboard"
Word Origin Old Englishhard, heard, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hard and German hart.
Derivatives
- 1. hardish adjective
Scrabble Points: 8
H
4A
1R
1D
2
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