26984 words

hardest

25 definitions • 49 examples
1
not easy to bend, cut, or break:

Examples:

a hard surface
There was a heavy frost last night and the ground is still hard.
Heating the clay makes it hard.
2
difficult to understand, do, experience, or deal with:

Examples:

There were some really hard questions in the exam.
it's hard to say It's hard to say which of them is lying.
It's hard being a single mother.
hard to do Her handwriting is very hard to read.
hard to please He's a hard man to please.
get hard The topics get harder later in the course.
hard time I feel sorry for the kids, too - they've had a hard time.
3
needing or using a lot of physical or mental effort:

Examples:

Go on - give it a good hard push!
hard work It was hard work on the farm but satisfying.
4

Examples:

You have to be quite hard to succeed in the property business.
Ooh, you're a hard woman, Elaine!
hard time Our boss has been giving us all a hard time at work (= making our time at work difficult).
Life can be hard at times for these nomadic people.
5
to criticize someone severely, or to treat someone unfairly:

Examples:

Don't be too hard on him - he's new to the job.
6
A hard drink contains a high level of alcohol:

Examples:

hard liquor Wine, beer and hard liquor can be purchased only at state-run liquor stores.
7
Hard water contains a high level of minerals that prevent soap from cleaning.
8
able to be proved:

Examples:

9
used to describe a time when there is bad weather:

Examples:

hard winter We had a very hard winter last year.
10
with a lot of physical or mental effort:

Examples:

Work hard and play hard, that's my motto.
I'm not surprised he failed his exam - he didn't exactly try very hard!
11
If it rains or snows hard, it rains or snows a lot:

Examples:

It had been raining hard most of the afternoon.
12
firm and solid, or not easy to bend, cut, or break:

Examples:

It hadn’t rained in a long time, and the ground was hard.
He chewed on something hard and was afraid he’d broken a tooth.
13
difficult to understand or do:

Examples:

hard questions to answer
[ + to infinitive ] It’s hard to say which of them is lying.
It’s hard being a working mother.
[ + to infinitive ] Her handwriting is hard to read.
She always does things the hard way (= makes things more difficult to do).
I find her books hard going (= difficult and tiring).
14
needing or using a lot of physical or mental effort:

Examples:

Qualifying as a surgeon is hard work.
We had fun cycling, but it was hard to go up the hills.
15

Examples:

She’s had a hard life.
His boss is giving him a hard time (= is being unpleasant to him).
Don’t be too hard on her – she’s just learning the job.
16
Someone who is hard on a piece of clothing tends to damage it quickly:

Examples:

I’m very hard on shoes.
17
If water is hard, it contains minerals (= chemical substances) that prevent soap from producing bubbles and cleaning easily.
18
(of a drug) dangerous and addictive (= giving you the habit of taking it), or (of a drink) containing a large amount of alcohol
19
able to be proven:

Examples:

hard evidence
20
with a lot of physical or mental effort:

Examples:

You have to push the door hard to open it.
21
If something is hard-earned or hard-won, it was achieved only after a lot of effort:

Examples:

hard-earned money/knowledge/fame
hard-won freedoms/battles
22
in a severe or forceful way:

Examples:

They took the defeat hard.
It’s raining hard.
She stepped on my toe really hard.
23
used to describe information that can be proved:

Examples:

hard facts/figures/numbers There are no hard numbers on viewership levels.
The report documented hard evidence of problems at the refinery, including long overdue or bypassed inspections.
24
used to describe a market in which prices are high:

Examples:

The best time to market for new business that will carry you through a soft market is when the market is hard.
Many experts expect the hard market to last for at least 18 months, allowing the company to boost margins by more than 10 per cent.
25
difficult to believe or accept:

Examples:

With European governments having so much invested in the company, outsourcing and downsizing have been hard to swallow.

Navigation