adj Solid and firm; not easily broken, cut, or dented.
- Diamonds are famously the hardest naturally occurring material.
- The bread had gone hard after sitting out overnight.
- The ground was too hard to dig after weeks without rain.
adj Difficult; requiring a lot of effort, skill, or endurance.
- The exam was much harder than anyone expected.
- It was hard to say goodbye after so many years together.
- It was a hard thing to hear, and the manager did not soften it.
- Learning to play the violin is hard, but it is rewarding.
adj Severe, harsh, or lacking sympathy.
- He took a hard line with anyone who broke the rules.
- The coach was hard on the players and showed them little sympathy.
adv With a lot of force or effort.
- She worked hard all summer to save enough for college.
- It was raining so hard that we could barely see the road.
- He pushed hard against the heavy door until it finally opened.
