HARDLY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
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English
Meaning of hardly in English
hardlyadverb uk
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/ˈhɑːd.li/ us
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/ˈhɑːrd.li/
hardly adverb
(ONLY JUST)
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B1 only just; almost not: can hardly I could hardly hear her at the back. The party had hardly started when she left. He hardly ate anything/He ate hardly anything.hardly ever We hardly ever (= almost never) go to concerts. Hardly had a moment passed before the door creaked open.
More examplesFewer examplesIt's so airless in here - I can hardly breathe.Hardly anyone turned up for the party.The instructions are printed so small I can hardly read them."Where's Mikey?" "How should I know? He's hardly ever in the office these days."I hardly watch any television, apart from news and current affairs.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Merely and barely
all
all of something idiom
at a pinch idiom
barely
but
by a whisker idiom
by inches idiom
ill
inch
just
little
mere
merely
merest
narrowly
nothing more than idiom
only
scarce
scarcely
whisker
See more results »
hardly adverb
(CERTAINLY NOT)
B2 certainly not: can hardly You can hardly expect a pay rise when you've only been working for the company for two weeks! Well don't be angry with me - it's hardly my fault that it's raining!
More examplesFewer examplesIt's a policy that was hardly calculated to win votes.Her worldly success can hardly be denied.I had hoped for a little more from the world's greatest tenor, whose performance was workmanlike but hardly inspired.He had a few tufts of hair on his chin, but you could hardly call it a beard.It's hardly not surprising (that) you're putting on weight, considering how much you're eating.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Yes, no & not
a sure thing idiom
affirmation
affirmatively
ain't
betcha
bit
didn't
does a bear/do bears shit in the woods? idiom
far
nah
not that idiom
opposed
self-negating
slight
sure
wasn't
weren't
wouldn't be seen dead idiom
yes
you bet idiom
See more results »
Grammar
HardlyHardly is an adverb. …
Hardly ever, rarely, scarcely, seldomHardly ever, rarely, scarcely and seldom are frequency adverbs. We can use them to refer to things that almost never happen, or do not happen very often. They have a negative meaning. We use them without not. Rarely, scarcely and seldom are more common in writing than in speaking: …
(Definition of hardly from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
hardly | American Dictionary
hardlyadverb [ not gradable ] us
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/ˈhɑrd·li/
hardly adverb [not gradable]
(ONLY JUST)
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only just or almost not: Hardly a day passes that I don’t think about it. You’ve hardly eaten anything. Something is wrong with the phone – I can hardly hear you. I can hardly wait for your visit. We hardly ever see them anymore.
hardly adverb [not gradable]
(CERTAINLY NOT)
certainly not: It’s hardly surprising that he was angry.
(Definition of hardly from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
Examples of hardly
hardly
Though that is hardly a brief for paternalism, it should make us-at least those of us with liberal sympathies-rather concerned.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Such struggles over the principle of succession were hardly unique in the contested politics of indirect rule.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Another observation is that target-deviant omissions hardly ever concern subjects in group 1 children.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
In fact, it is hardly correct to speak about a strategy.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The conclusion of the paper is that it is hardly possible to explain the similarities in the contact patterns with the help of macro-sociolinguistic factors.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The type of onset had hardly any effect whereas the offset consonant had a marked influence.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Teachers' beliefs and motivation are also hardly ever researched.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Now the field is rapidly evolving, which means that this article can hardly be more than a snapshot of the knowledge as of 2001.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Their conclusion is, however, hardly general, as the authors themselves admit.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
They are hardly quoted in the debate, possibly assuming that they are fixed.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Such was hardly the case in pre-war resumptions.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Furthermore, an immediate transplant for this patient would hardly be a good for her.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
From a human rights point of view, the value of testimony can hardly be exaggerated.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
In laterite outcrops, where the influence of the rains is hardly felt, large expanses of small bamboos of stunted appearance are met with.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Again, there was hardly any growth till week 30, and then a very rapid incline between weeks 30 and 40.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
See all examples of hardly
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
What is the pronunciation of hardly?
B1,B2
Translations of hardly
in Chinese (Traditional)
僅僅, 幾乎不, 絕不…
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in Chinese (Simplified)
仅仅, 几乎不, 绝不…
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in Spanish
apenas, no, ¡qué va!…
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in Portuguese
dificilmente, apenas, quase não…
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फक्त, जवळजवळ नाही…
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ほとんど～ない, 決して～ない, どう考えても～ない…
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güç bela, çok az, ancak…
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à peine, certainement pas, presque…
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amb prou feines, no, i ara!…
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bijna, nauwelijks, amper…
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மட்டுமே / ஓரளவு, கிட்டத்தட்ட அல்ல, நிச்சயமாக இல்லை…
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केवल बस, लगभग नहीं, शायद ही…
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ભાગ્યે જ, કદાચ, મહામુશ્કેલીએ…
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næsten, næsten ikke, næppe…
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knappt, knappast, nästan ingen (inget…
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hampir tiada, hampir tidak, mungkin tidak…
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kaum…
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knapt, nesten ikke, ikke…
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بہ مشکل, تقریباً نہیں کے برابر, مشکل سے…
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ледве, насилу, навряд…
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едва, почти не, вряд ли…
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కొద్దిమాత్రమే, ఇంచుమించుగా కానిది, అసలే కాదు…
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بِالكاد…
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কষ্ট সহকারে, প্রায় না- য়ের মতো, খুবই কম…
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skoro, sotva, stěží…
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hampir tidak ada, hampir tidak bisa, tidak mungkin…
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แทบจะไม่, เกือบจะไม่, อาจจะไม่…
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hầu như không, khó có thể…
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prawie nie, ledwie, ledwo…
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거의 -하지 않다, 전혀 -가 아니다…
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a malapena, appena, sicuramente non…
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hardheaded
hardheadedly
hardily
hardiness
hardly
hardly/barely put one foot in front of the other idiom
hardness
hardpan
BETA
hardscape
More meanings of hardly
All
can hardly wait, at can't wait idiom
I need hardly do something idiom
hardly/barely put one foot in front of the other idiom
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Idioms and phrases
can hardly wait, at can't wait idiom
I need hardly do something idiom
hardly/barely put one foot in front of the other idiom
See all idioms and phrases
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Contents
English
Adverb
hardly (ONLY JUST)
hardly (CERTAINLY NOT)
American
Adverb
hardly (ONLY JUST)
hardly (CERTAINLY NOT)
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Hardly Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
Hardly Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
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hardly
adverb
hard·ly
ˈhärd-lē
Synonyms of hardly
1
a
—used to emphasize a minimal amount or degreeI 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 in Thesaurus
Examples of hardly in a Sentence
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
But that’s hardly the only example of the disconnect.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024
For a movie that hardly requires any special effects, so much of it feels like it might as well have been filmed in front of a green screen.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 8 Mar. 2024
Local election officials and national Republican leaders saw the North Carolina G.O.P.’s 2020 election-protection program as well organized, but hardly as the reason for Mr. Trump’s victory there.
—Maggie Haberman, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024
There is hardly a space in pop culture today that hasn’t been touched by Akira Toriyama’s art.
—Gene Park, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
But the president's remarks have hardly quelled the brewing outrage.
—Emily Green, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024
However, the off-catalog versions that Ambani wore are hardly meant to be roughed around.
—Rebecca Suhrawardi, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024
Only now has Washington appeared to accede to demands that Henry step aside—at a moment when prospects could hardly be less promising for a respectable, responsible democrat to ascend into the Haitian presidency, and when many armed criminals are at the ready.
—Amy Wilentz, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2024
The game, though, was hardly recognizable as some of the world’s best were reduced to stop-and-start, pirouetting Woodstock attendees.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hardly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Time Traveler
The first known use of hardly was
before the 12th century
See more words from the same century
Phrases Containing hardly
can hardly wait
hardly any
hardly ever
hardly/scarcely than
hardly a
Dictionary Entries Near hardly
hard-luck
hardly
hardly ever
See More Nearby Entries
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“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardly. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.
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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
More from Merriam-Webster on hardly
Nglish: Translation of hardly for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of hardly for Arabic Speakers
Last Updated:
11 Mar 2024
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GamesDaily CrosswordWord PuzzleWord FinderAll gamesFeaturedWord of the DaySynonym of the DayWord of the YearNew wordsLanguage storiesAll featuredPop cultureSlangEmojiMemesAcronymsGender and sexualityAll pop cultureWriting tipsGrammar Coach™Writing hubGrammar essentialsCommonly confusedAll writing tipsGamesFeaturedPop cultureWriting tipshardly[ hahrd-lee ]show ipaSee synonyms for hardly on Thesaurus.comadverbonly just; almost not; barely: We had hardly reached the lake when it started raining. hardly any; hardly ever.not at all; scarcely: That report is hardly surprising.with little likelihood: He will hardly come now.forcefully or vigorously.with pain or difficulty.British. harshly or severely.hard. See moreOrigin of hardly11175–1225; Middle English; Old English heardlice.See hard, -lysynonym study For hardly1. Hardly, barely, scarcely imply a narrow margin by which performance was, is, or will be achieved. Hardly, though often interchangeable with scarcely and barely, usually emphasizes the idea of the difficulty involved: We could hardly endure the winter. Barely emphasizes the narrowness of the margin of safety, “only just and no more”: We barely succeeded. Scarcely implies a very narrow margin, below satisfactory performance: He can scarcely read.usage note For hardly1, 3. Hardly, barely, and scarcely all have a negative connotation, and the use of any of them with a negative like can't or couldn't is often condemned as a double negative and thus considered nonstandard: I can't hardly wait. Such constructions do occur occasionally in the speech of educated persons, often with jocular intent ( You can't hardly get that kind any more ) but are not found in formal speech or writing. When hardly in the sense “only just, almost not” is followed by a clause, the usual word to introduce the clause is when: The telephone had hardly stopped ringing when (not than ) the doorbell rang. See also double negative. Words that may be confused with hardlybarely, hardly , scarcely (see synonym study at the current entry)Words Nearby hardlyhard linehard-linerhard lineshard liquorhard luckhardlyhardly everhardmanhard maplehard masshard moneyDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024How to use hardly in a sentenceThis is hardly the first example of such a thing, as I detailed earlier this week.The Trump administration’s politicization of coronavirus comes to a head | Aaron Blake | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostThe bookmakers didn’t give Dallas much of a chance to win the Stanley Cup because Dallas hardly proved it was good enough to qualify for the playoffs, let alone win once it got there.Teams Don’t Win The Stanley Cup With A Goal Deficit. Can The Dallas Stars Change That? | Terrence Doyle | September 16, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightProtesters took over roughly a six-block area in Seattle — hardly a “big chunk” or 20 percent.Trump’s ABC News town hall: Four Pinocchios, over and over again | Glenn Kessler | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostHe Jiankui, the disgraced scientist behind the CRISPR babies experiment, was hardly coy about his plans.A CRISPR Baby Future? New Report Outlines Path to Human Germline Editing | Shelly Fan | September 15, 2020 | Singularity Hub Checking your website page by page is hardly practical, so you can use Google Search Console to check all your pages at once.8 major Google ranking factors — SEO guide | Sponsored Content: SEO PowerSuite | September 15, 2020 | Search Engine LandThe gunman hardly broke stride as he nonetheless shot Merabet in the head, killing him.The Muslim Cop Killed by Terrorists | Michael Daly | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThis is especially striking, though hardly surprising, in the case of Priebus, Mr. Outreach.Today’s GOP: Still Cool With Racist Pandering? | Michael Tomasky | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut locals there say any money deposited is thrown into an unlocked cupboard behind the tellers, hardly inspiring confidence.ISIS’s Futile Quest to Go Legit | Jamie Dettmer | January 5, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTI was already over forty, had hardly a nickel in my pocket and this was the biggest break in my life.The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile | Robert Ward | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThe grim instability of shelter life is hardly a recipe for success under the best of circumstances.His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside | Justin Rohrlich | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTHere is a chair, Monsieur Arden; but you can hardly see it until your eyes have grown a little accustomed to our crpuscula.Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le FanuThe doors (Indian bungalows have hardly any windows, each door being half glass) were open front and back.The Red Year | Louis TracyYou see, I am the city undertaker, and the people are dying here so fast, that I can hardly supply the demand for coffins.The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | Various"A camp-fire would hardly flash and die out like that, Sarge," he answered thoughtfully.Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairFelipe was so full of impatience to continue his search, that he hardly listened to the Father's words.Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonSee More ExamplesBritish Dictionary definitions for hardlyhardly/ (ˈhɑːdlɪ) /adverbscarcely; barely: we hardly knew the familyjust; only just: he could hardly hold the cupoften ironic almost or probably not or not at all: he will hardly incriminate himselfwith difficulty or effortrare harshly or cruellySee moreusage For hardlySince hardly, scarcely, and barely already have negative force, it is redundant to use another negative in the same clause: he had hardly had (not he hadn't hardly had) time to think; there was scarcely any (not scarcely no) bread leftCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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hardly adverb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
hardly adverb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
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Definition of hardly adverb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
hardly adverb /ˈhɑːdli/ /ˈhɑːrdli/
jump to other results
almost no; almost not; almost noneThere's hardly any tea left.Hardly anyone has bothered to reply.She hardly ever calls me (= almost never).We hardly know each other.I had hardly seen my father since that day.It hardly seems fair to put all the blame on him.Hardly a day goes by without my thinking of her (= I think of her almost every day).At the time, I hardly spoke any French.There was hardly a cloud in the sky.
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used especially after ‘can’ or ‘could’ and before the main verb, to emphasize that it is difficult to do somethingI can hardly keep my eyes open (= I'm almost falling asleep).I could hardly believe it when I read the letter.
used to suggest that something is unlikely or unreasonable or that somebody is silly for saying or doing somethingHe is hardly likely to admit he was wrong.It's hardly surprising she was fired; she never did any work.It's hardly the time to discuss it now.You can hardly expect her to do it for free.‘Couldn't you have just said no?’ ‘Well, hardly (= of course not), she's my wife's sister.’He’s 24—hardly a baby.Which Word? hard / hardlyhard / hardlyThe adverb from the adjective hard is hard:I have to work hard today.She has thought very hard about her future plans.It was raining hard outside.Hardly is an adverb meaning ‘almost not’:I hardly ever go to concerts.I can hardly wait for my birthday. It cannot be used instead of hard:I’ve been working hardly today.She has thought very hardly about her future plans.It was raining hardly outside. used to say that something has just begun, happened, etc.We can't stop for coffee now, we've hardly started.We had hardly sat down to supper when the phone rang. (formal) Hardly had she spoken before she regretted it bitterly. Grammar Point hardly / scarcely / barely / no soonerhardly / scarcely / barely / no soonerHardly, scarcely and barely can all be used to say that something is only just true or possible. They are used with words like any and anyone, with adjectives and verbs, and are often placed between can, could, have, be, etc. and the main part of the verb:They have sold scarcely any copies of the book.I barely recognized her.His words were barely audible.I can hardly believe it.I hardly can believe it.Hardly, scarcely and barely are negative words and should not be used with not or other negatives:I can’t hardly believe it.You can also use hardly, scarcely and barely to say that one thing happens immediately after another:We had hardly/scarcely/barely sat down at the table, when the doorbell rang. In formal, written English, especially in a literary style, these words can be placed at the beginning of the sentence and then the subject and verb are turned around:Hardly/Scarcely had we sat down at the table, when the doorbell rang. Note that you usually use when in these sentences, not than. You can also use before:I scarcely had time to ring the bell before the door opened. No sooner can be used in the same way, but is always used with than:No sooner had we sat down at the table than the doorbell rang.Hardly and scarcely can be used to mean ‘almost never’, but barely is not used in this way:She hardly (ever) sees her parents these days.She barely sees her parents these days.See hardly in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee hardly in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation:
hardly
Other results
All matches
I, they, etc. can’t wait/can hardly wait
Idioms
I, they, etc. can’t wait/can hardly wait
Nearby words
hardliner noun
hard-luck story noun
hardly adverb
hardness noun
hard news noun
boost
verb
From the Topic
Change, cause and effect
B2
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Just a moment...
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HARDLY Synonyms: 281 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
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Est. 1828
Thesaurus
Synonyms of hardly
as in severely
as in no
as in barely
as in sadly
as in hard
as in severelyas in noas in barelyas in sadlyas in hard
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hardly
adverb
Definition of hardly
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
oppressively
hard
brutally
roughly
ill
sternly
strongly
stiffly
firmly
aggressively
grimly
uncharitably
ruthlessly
unfeelingly
unsparingly
pitilessly
mercilessly
heartlessly
callously
abusively
obdurately
tyrannically
insensitively
savagely
viciously
inhumanly
insensately
decidedly
unmercifully
inhumanely
resolutely
brutishly
toughly
hard-heartedly
determinedly
cold-bloodedly
assertively
gruffly
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
lightly
mildly
gently
softly
kindly
leniently
graciously
cordially
tenderly
lovingly
benevolently
considerately
clemently
mercifully
charitably
sympathetically
understandingly
benignantly
humanely
tolerantly
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
ill
on no account
nowhere
by no means
nothing doing
no way
noway
nowise
near
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
certainly
definitely
surely
completely
absolutely
most
quite
very
positively
highly
extremely
exceeding
clearly
exceedingly
terribly
really
greatly
truly
immensely
enormously
mighty
unquestionably
perfectly
plainly
rather
utterly
somewhat
awfully
mostly
slightly
hugely
awful
doubtless
assuredly
mightily
more or less
unequivocally
hands down
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
by the skin of one's teeth
minutely
closely
partly
approximately
roughly
scantly
more or less
plus or minus
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
well
significantly
substantially
considerably
quite
easily
definitely
vastly
plainly
positively
fully
completely
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
mournfully
unhappily
sharply
regretfully
woefully
harshly
sorely
ruefully
wailfully
severely
grievously
dolorously
resentfully
wretchedly
plaintively
agonizingly
lugubriously
dolefully
inconsolably
cheerlessly
miserably
distressfully
abjectly
drearily
dispiritedly
distressingly
dismally
acutely
keenly
despairingly
dejectedly
pessimistically
joylessly
despondently
forlornly
sullenly
glumly
disconsolately
ill
downheartedly
dourly
darkly
poignantly
morosely
somberly
piercingly
gloomily
crestfallenly
cruelly
blackly
low-spiritedly
mirthlessly
hurtfully
rancorously
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
happily
gladly
blissfully
joyfully
joyously
easily
cheerfully
gleefully
merrily
delightedly
lightly
cheerily
casually
lightheartedly
gaily
blithely
calmly
gayly
indifferently
well
stoically
dispassionately
nonchalantly
unconcernedly
favorably
impassively
sunnily
mirthfully
rejoicingly
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
diligently
continuously
resolutely
purposefully
slavishly
determinedly
doggedly
arduously
laboriously
strenuously
assiduously
actively
industriously
seriously
mightily
vigorously
steadily
thoroughly
sedulously
vehemently
amain
busily
energetically
dynamically
briskly
feverishly
steadfastly
spiritedly
animatedly
unremittingly
exhaustively
zealously
conscientiously
unrelentingly
willfully
ardently
painstakingly
meticulously
attentively
earnestly
stubbornly
unabatedly
ploddingly
tirelessly
indefatigably
untiringly
obstinately
wearilessly
unflaggingly
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
casually
lazily
wearily
halfheartedly
sluggishly
listlessly
languidly
tiredly
indolently
desultorily
lackadaisically
shiftlessly
spiritlessly
See More
Thesaurus Entries Near hardly
hard-luck
hardly
hardness
See More Nearby Entries
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Merriam-Webster
“Hardly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardly. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.
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Just a moment...
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HARDLY | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary
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Meaning of hardly – Learner’s Dictionary
hardlyadverb uk
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/ˈhɑːdli/ us
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hardly adverb
(NOT MUCH)
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B1 almost not, or only a very small amount: I was so tired that I could hardly walk. We've hardly ever spoken to each other. There's hardly any food left in the fridge.
More examplesFewer examplesThe print's so small in this book that I can hardly read it.He hardly ever drives the car. It just sits in the garage.The money he received was hardly enough to live on.We hardly ever go out these days.He could hardly control his anger.
hardly adverb
(NOT LIKELY)
B2 used to emphasize that you think something is not likely, true, possible, etc: I hardly think she'll want to talk to me now that I have a new girlfriend.
(Definition of hardly from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
Translations of hardly
in Chinese (Traditional)
僅僅, 幾乎不, 絕不…
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in Chinese (Simplified)
仅仅, 几乎不, 绝不…
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in Spanish
apenas, no, ¡qué va!…
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in Portuguese
dificilmente, apenas, quase não…
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in more languages
in Marathi
in Japanese
in Turkish
in French
in Catalan
in Dutch
in Tamil
in Hindi
in Gujarati
in Danish
in Swedish
in Malay
in German
in Norwegian
in Urdu
in Ukrainian
in Russian
in Telugu
in Arabic
in Bengali
in Czech
in Indonesian
in Thai
in Vietnamese
in Polish
in Korean
in Italian
फक्त, जवळजवळ नाही…
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ほとんど～ない, 決して～ない, どう考えても～ない…
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güç bela, çok az, ancak…
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à peine, certainement pas, presque…
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amb prou feines, no, i ara!…
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bijna, nauwelijks, amper…
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மட்டுமே / ஓரளவு, கிட்டத்தட்ட அல்ல, நிச்சயமாக இல்லை…
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केवल बस, लगभग नहीं, शायद ही…
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ભાગ્યે જ, કદાચ, મહામુશ્કેલીએ…
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næsten, næsten ikke, næppe…
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knappt, knappast, nästan ingen (inget…
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hampir tiada, hampir tidak, mungkin tidak…
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kaum…
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knapt, nesten ikke, ikke…
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بہ مشکل, تقریباً نہیں کے برابر, مشکل سے…
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ледве, насилу, навряд…
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едва, почти не, вряд ли…
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కొద్దిమాత్రమే, ఇంచుమించుగా కానిది, అసలే కాదు…
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بِالكاد…
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কষ্ট সহকারে, প্রায় না- য়ের মতো, খুবই কম…
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skoro, sotva, stěží…
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hampir tidak ada, hampir tidak bisa, tidak mungkin…
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แทบจะไม่, เกือบจะไม่, อาจจะไม่…
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hầu như không, khó có thể…
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prawie nie, ledwie, ledwo…
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거의 -하지 않다, 전혀 -가 아니다…
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a malapena, appena, sicuramente non…
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hardback
hardcore
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hardship
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hardy
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Contents
Learner’s Dictionary
Adverb
hardly (NOT MUCH)
hardly (NOT LIKELY)
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Hardly - definition of hardly by The Free Dictionary
Hardly - definition of hardly by The Free Dictionary
Hardly - definition of hardly by The Free Dictionary https://www.thefreedictionary.com/hardlyPrinter Friendly
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hardly Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.
hard·ly (härd′lē)adv.1. To almost no degree; barely at all; almost not: I could hardly hear the speaker.2. Probably or surely not: He is hardly the kind of guy you would want to date. It's hardly a secret that they are engaged. 3. With great difficulty or effort: I could hardly get up the stairs.4. With severity; harshly: "The winter months would deal hardly with many of these poor folk" (William Black).[Middle English hardli, from Old English heardlīce, harshly, bravely, from heard, hard; see hard.]Usage Note: In Standard English, hardly, scarcely, and similar adverbs cannot be used with a negative. The sentence I couldn't hardly see him, for instance, is not acceptable. This violation of the double negative rule is curious because these adverbs are not truly negative in meaning. Rather, they minimize the state or event they describe. Thus hardly means "almost not at all," rarely means "practically never," and so forth. The sentence Mary hardly laughed means that Mary did laugh a little, not that she kept from laughing altogether, and therefore does not express a negative proposition. But adverbs like hardly and scarcely do share some important features of negative adverbs, even though they may not have purely negative meaning. For one thing, they combine with any and at all, which are characteristically associated with negative contexts. Thus we say I hardly saw him at all or I never saw him at all but not I occasionally saw him at all. Similarly, we say I hardly had any time or I didn't have any time but not I had any time and so on. Like other negative adverbs, hardly triggers inversion of the subject and auxiliary verb when it begins a sentence. Thus we say Hardly had I arrived when she left on the pattern of Never have I read such a book. · Hardly and other minimizing adverbs are properly followed by when and not than in sentences like I had hardly walked inside [when/than] it began to rain. In our 2008 survey, 79 percent of the Usage Panel rejected the use of than in the previous sentence. See Usage Notes at double negative, rarely, scarcely.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.hardly (ˈhɑːdlɪ) adv1. scarcely; barely: we hardly knew the family. 2. just; only just: he could hardly hold the cup. 3. often ironic almost or probably not or not at all: he will hardly incriminate himself. 4. with difficulty or effort5. rare harshly or cruellyUsage: Since hardly, scarcely, and barely already have negative force, it is redundant to use another negative in the same clause: he had hardly had (not he hadn't hardly had) time to think; there was scarcely any (not scarcely no) bread leftCollins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014hard•ly (ˈhɑrd li) adv. 1. only just; almost not; barely: hardly any; hardly ever. 2. not at all; scarcely: That report is hardly surprising. 3. with little likelihood: He will hardly come now. 4. Brit. harshly or severely. 5. hard. [1175–1225] syn: hardly, barely, scarcely imply a narrow margin of sufficiency. hardly usu. emphasizes the difficulty or sacrifice involved: We could hardly endure the winter. barely implies no more than the minimum, as in performance or quantity: We barely succeeded. scarcely implies an even narrower margin, usu. below a satisfactory level: He can scarcely read. usage: hardly, barely, scarcely all have a negative connotation, and the use of any of them with a supplementary negative (I can't hardly remember) is characteristic of dialectical or informal speech rather than edited writing. See also double negative. Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.hard – hardly1. 'hard'Hard can be an adjective. If something is hard, it is not easy to do.Coping with three babies is very hard work.Hard can also be an adverb. For example, if you work hard, you work with a lot of effort.Many elderly people have worked hard all their lives.2. 'hardly'Hardly is an adverb. It has a totally different meaning from hard. You use hardly to modify a statement when you want to emphasize that only a small amount or detail makes it true, and it is best to consider the opposite as true. For example, if someone hardly speaks, they do not speak much. If something is hardly surprising, it is not very surprising.I hardly knew him.Nick hardly slept because he was so worried.If you use an auxiliary verb or modal with hardly, you put the auxiliary verb or modal first. You say, for example, 'I can hardly see'. Don't say 'I hardly can see'.Two years before, the wall had hardly existed.She can hardly wait to begin.We could hardly move.Be Careful!Don't use 'not' with hardly. Don't say, for example, 'I did not hardly know him'. Say 'I hardly knew him'.Hardly is sometimes used in longer structures to say that one thing happened immediately after another.The local police had hardly finished their search when the detectives arrived.Be Careful!In structures like these you use when, not 'than'. Don't say, for example, 'The local police had hardly finished their search than the detectives arrived'.In stories, hardly is sometimes put at the beginning of a sentence, followed by had or the verb be and the subject.Hardly had he uttered the words when he began laughing.3. 'hardly ever'If something hardly ever happens, it almost never happens.I hardly ever spoke to them.Tim hardly ever met her friends.Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:Switch to new thesaurus Adv.1.hardly - only a very short time before; "they could barely hear the speaker"; "we hardly knew them"; "just missed being hit"; "had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open"; "would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave"- W.B.Yeatsbarely, scarce, scarcely, just2.hardly - almost not; "he hardly ever goes fishing"; "he was hardly more than sixteen years old"; "they scarcely ever used the emergency generator"scarcelyBased on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.hardlyadverb1. barely, only just, scarcely, just, faintly, with difficulty, infrequently, with effort, at a push (Brit. informal), almost not Nick, on the sofa, hardly slept. barely really, more than, completely, certainly, amply, easily, fully, truly, undoubtedly, well over, by all means, abundantly, indubitably2. only just, just, only, barely, not quite, scarcely I could hardly see the garden for the fog.3. not at all, not, no way, by no means It's hardly surprising his ideas didn't catch on.Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002hardlyadverbBy a very little; almost not:barely, just, scarce, scarcely. The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translationsبِالكَادبالكاد، بِصُعوبَه، بِشَق النَّفْستَقْريبا لارُبَّما لاقليلاً ماsotvastěžískoronæppenæstenknapkaumamperελάχιστασπάνιαapenaŭapenascasidifícilmentemalcasi nadie/casi nuncatuskinà peinepresquedifficilementguèrelourdementgotovo nikadjedvaalighanemigenmeî naumindumtæplegavarlaappenacon difficoltàcon faticadifficilmenteduramenteほとんど･･･ないめったに･･･しない거의 ...않다거의~않다beveik nebeveik neivargu ardiez vaigandrīzgandrīz nekadhardly evertik tikkonauwelijksbijnaknaptneppenesten ikkesjeldensnautledwiezaledwiedificilmenteseveramenteabiaедвапочти никогдачутьврядвряд лиskoro niekomajstežkaknappastknapptnästanเกือบจะไม่แทบจะไม่güçlüklehemen hemen hiçpek olası değilzorluklaancakgần như chưa bao giờhiếm khi几乎不几乎不是仅hardly [ˈhɑːdlɪ] ADV → apenasI hardly know him → apenas lo conozco, casi no lo conozcoI can hardly believe it → apenas puedo creerlo → casi no puedo creerloI could hardly understand a word → apenas entendí palabra → no pude entender casi nadashe had hardly any money → apenas tenía dinero → no tenía casi dinerohardly a day goes by when we don't argue → apenas pasa un día sin que discutamoswe could hardly refuse → ¿cómo podíamos negarnos?she's hardly what you'd call a cordon bleu chef (iro) → no es precisamente or no es lo que se dice un cocinero de primerathat can hardly be true → eso difícilmente puede ser verdadthat is hardly likely → eso es poco probableit's hardly surprising! → ¡no me extraña or sorprende!"do you think he'll pass?" - "hardly!" → -¿crees que aprobará? -¡qué va! or ¡ni hablar!hardly anyone → casi nadiehardly anything → casi nadathere was hardly anywhere to go → no había casi ningún sitio donde irhardly ever → casi nuncaCollins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005hardly [ˈhɑːrdli] adv (= scarcely) → à peineI hardly know you → Je te connais à peine.I can hardly believe itBUT J'ai du mal à le croire.It's hardly the caseBUT Ce n'est guère le cas.It's hardly surprisingBUT Ça n'a rien de surprenant.to have hardly done sth when ...He had hardly sat down when the door burst open.; Hardly had he sat down when the door burst open → À peine était-il assis que la porte s'ouvrit brusquement.hardly ever → presque jamaishardly anywhere → presque nulle parthardly anyone → presque personne (= harshly) → durementCollins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005hardly adv (= barely) → kaum; I hardly knew him → ich kannte ihn kaum; the boy was hardly seventeen → der Junge war kaum or keine siebzehn; I could understand hardly a word → ich konnte kaum ein Wort or fast kein Wort verstehen; hardly ever → fast nie; hardly any money → fast kein Geld; it’s worth hardly anything → es ist fast nichts wert; you’ve hardly eaten anything → du hast (ja) kaum etwas gegessen; I hardly know any French → ich kann kaum Französisch or fast kein Französisch; there was hardly anywhere to go → man konnte fast nirgends hingehen; hardly a day goes by when we don’t read about murder in the newspaper → es vergeht kaum ein Tag, an dem wir nicht von Mordfällen in der Zeitung lesen; I can still hardly believe it → ich kann es immer noch kaum glauben; hardly had he uttered the words when he began laughing → er hatte die Worte kaum ausgesprochen, als er anfing zu lachen (= certainly not) → wohl kaum; I will hardly need to remind you to be polite to your grandmother → ich muss euch wohl kaum daran erinnern, höflich zu eurer Großmutter zu sein; will she remember? — hardly! → wird sie daran denken? — bestimmt nicht!Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007hardly [ˈhɑːdlɪ] adv (scarcely) → appena, a mala penashe can hardly read → riesce a malapena a leggerethat can hardly be true → non può essere veroI hardly know him → lo conosco appenait's hardly the case → non è proprio il casoI can hardly believe it → stento a crederciI need hardly point out that ... → non c'è bisogno che io faccia notare che...this is hardly the time → non è di sicuro il momentohardly anyone/anything → quasi nessuno/nientehardly ever → quasi maihardly anywhere → quasi da nessuna partehardly! → figuriamoci!, neanche per idea!Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995hardly (ˈhaːdli) adverb1. almost no, none, never etc. Hardly any small businesses are successful nowadays; I hardly ever go out. skaars, byna geen/nooit تَقْريبا لا почти никой/никога quase não, nenhum, etc. skoro kaum næsten σχεδόν καθόλου apenas vaevalt ندرتآ tuskin presqueבקושי मुश्किल से jedva, gotovo nikada alig(ha), szinte semmi, soha stb. hampir tidak ada varla quasi ほとんど～しない 거의 ...아니다 beveik nei (vienas), beveik ne gandrīz nekad hampir tiada bijna nesten ingen/aldri mało, mało, prawie په كلكه توګه quase não, nenhum, etc. abia; nu prea едва; почти не sotva skoraj nikoli skoro knappt, knappast, nästan ingen (inget, aldrig) แทบจะไม่ hemen hemen hiç 幾乎沒有 ледве شاید ہی کوئی hầu như không 几乎不是2. only just; almost not. My feet are so sore, I can hardly walk; I had hardly got on my bicycle when I got a puncture. beswaarlik, skaars بالكاد، بِصُعوبَه، بِشَق النَّفْس едва mal sotva kaum næsten ikke; næppe μόλιςapenas, casi vaevalt بزحمت vaivoin à peineבקושי बमुश्किल jedva alig hampir tidak bisa með naumindum appena, a mala pena かろうじて～する 거의 …할 수 없다 vos tik tikko; tikko kā hampir tidak bijna, nauwelijks, amperknapt, nesten ikke, snautledwo د زیاړ mal abia едва, еле sotva, ledva komaj jedva knappt, knappast เกือบจะไม่ ancak, zorlukla, güçlükle 僅僅，幾乎無法 насилу نہیں کے برابر hầu như không 仅3. probably not. He's hardly likely to forgive you after what you said about him. beswaarlik, skaars رُبَّما لا вероятно не dificilmente stěží kaum næppe μάλλον δεν difícilmente vaevalt غیر محتمل tuskin pas précisement לא संभवत: नहीं vjerojatno ne nemigen, aligha tidak mungkin tæplega difficilmente たぶん～しない 아마도 …할 것 같지 않다 vargu ar diez vai mungkin tidak onwaarschijnlijk neppe raczej nie نه په احتمال سره dificilmente puţin probabil вряд ли ťažko težko teško knappt, knappast อาจจะไม่ çok az ihtimalle, pek olası değil 幾乎不 навряд شاید نہیں khó có thể 几乎不Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.hardly → بِالكَاد, قليلاً ما sotva næppe, næsten kaum ελάχιστα, σπάνια apenas, casi, casi nadie/casi nunca tuskin à peine, presque gotovo nikad, jedva quasi, scarsamente ほとんど･･･ない, めったに･･･しない 거의 ...않다, 거의~않다 bijna, nauwelijks knapt, sjelden ledwie, zaledwie dificilmente едва, почти никогда knappast, nästan เกือบจะไม่, แทบจะไม่ asla, güçlükle gần như chưa bao giờ, hiếm khi 几乎不Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
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In this way many years passed, and the Prince grew to manhood, and hardly anyone remembered the Queen's warning, though precautions were still taken, more from use and wont than for any other reason. View in contextThe queen, then, being dead, and not in a swoon, we buried her; and hardly had we covered her with earth, hardly had we said our last farewells, when, quis talia fando temperet a lachrymis? View in context"I can hardly doubt that it is Porlock's writing, though I have seen it only twice before. View in context"Our balloon is hardly large enough to admit of that little experiment--but I think our direction is changing. View in contextThen, if the boy has read a good many other books, he is taken with that abundance of literary turn and allusion in Thackeray; there is hardly a sentence but reminds him that he is in the society of a great literary swell, who has read everything, and can mock or burlesque life right and left from the literature always at his command. View in contextObservant persons, accustomed to frequent the London parks, can hardly have failed to notice the number of solitary strangers sadly endeavoring to vary their lives by taking a walk. View in contextIf you had seen little Jo standing at the street corner in the rain, you would hardly have admired him. View in contextIn plain language, the only way he could possibly find to account for the possession of this note, was by robbery: and, to confess the truth, the reader, unless he should suspect it was owing to the generosity of Lady Bellaston, can hardly imagine any other. View in contextThe higher they flew with the mirror, the more terribly it grinned: they could hardly hold it fast. View in contextYet it could hardly have been scuttled to hide their traces,--though that always remained as a possible hypothesis if all else failed. View in contextNo one, at least, can think I have not done enough for them: even themselves, they can hardly expect more." View in contextIt's hardly worth while to pry into young men's fooleries: it wouldn't have made any difference to you, sir, if I'd not had the bad luck to lose Wildfire. View in context
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