hard

Difficult to do, understand, or deal with, and needing a lot of effort.

• This question is hard.
• It was hard to find a parking space.
• She has been through some hard times.

How to use it: hard to do something (This word is hard to pronounce.); hard for someone to do something (It was hard for him to say goodbye.); find it hard to do something (I find it hard to sleep here.)

Similar words: difficult, tough

Opposites: easy

Common phrases: hard to do, hard question, hard work

Firm and difficult to press, bend, or break.

• The floor is hard.
• This bread is too hard to eat.
• She slept on a hard mattress.

Similar words: firm, solid

Opposites: soft

Common phrases: hard surface, hard floor, hard bread

Having sudden, strong force when something hits or touches something else.

• He gave the door a hard kick.
• The plane made a hard landing.
• A hard blow broke her wrist.

Similar words: forceful, heavy, strong

Opposites: gentle

Common phrases: hard hit, hard blow, hard landing

Based on clear facts that can be checked and are difficult to doubt.

• We need hard evidence before making an accusation.
• She backed her argument with hard facts.
• There is no hard data to support the claim.

Similar words: solid, conclusive, reliable

Common phrases: hard evidence, hard facts, hard data

Strict, unkind, or unwilling to show warm feelings.

• He was a hard man who rarely smiled.
• The teacher was hard on anyone who arrived late.
• Years of disappointment had made her hard.

How to use it: be hard on someone (Do not be too hard on your little sister.)

Similar words: harsh, severe, unfeeling

Opposites: kind, gentle

Common phrases: hard heart, hard on someone, hard words

Containing a high amount of alcohol.

• He never drinks hard liquor.
• The shop sells wine and hard liquor.
• She avoided hard drinks at the party.

Similar words: strong

Common phrases: hard liquor, hard drink, hard alcohol

Using a lot of effort or force.

• She works hard every day.
• He pushed hard, but the door stayed shut.
• We trained hard for the race.

Similar words: strenuously, forcefully

Common phrases: work hard, try hard, hit hard

Through difficulty and great effort.

• His money was hard earned.
• Their freedom was hard won.
• The match was hard fought from the start.

Similar words: with difficulty

Opposites: easily

Common phrases: hard earned, hard won, hard fought