Hardly

Pronunciation: /ˈhɑrdli/

Definitions of hardly

adverb Hardly is an adverb that means barely or scarcely. It is used to indicate that something is done to a small degree or almost not at all.

Example Sentences

A1 I hardly ever eat meat.

A2 She could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the surprise party.

B1 I hardly have any free time with my job and family responsibilities.

B2 The project was so challenging that it was hardly completed on time.

C1 The novel was so complex that it was hardly understood by most readers.

C2 The scientific theory was so advanced that it was hardly comprehensible to the general public.

Examples of hardly in a Sentence

formal She could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the final report.

informal I hardly recognized him with his new haircut.

slang I hardly ever go to that club anymore.

figurative The old car was hardly running by the time we reached our destination.

Grammatical Forms of hardly

• past tense: hardlied
• plural: hardlies
• comparative: hardlier
• superlative: hardliest
• present tense: hardly
• future tense: will hardly
• perfect tense: have hardly
• continuous tense: is hardly
• singular: hardly
• positive degree: hardly
• infinitive: to hardly
• gerund: hardlying
• participle: hardlied

Origin and Evolution of hardly

First Known Use: 1200 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'hardly' originated from Middle English, where 'hard' meant 'with difficulty' and 'ly' was a suffix denoting manner or condition.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'hardly' shifted from 'with difficulty' to 'barely' or 'scarcely'. The word is now commonly used to indicate a small degree or amount.