hardship

The word “hardship” means a period of severe difficulty, suffering, or lack; hard times. In plain terms, difficult circumstances, often involving suffering, poverty, or loss.

“Hardship” is pronounced HAHD-shihp (/ˈhɑɹdˌʃɪp/ in IPA).

Here is “hardship” used in a sentence: “The family endured great hardship during the war.”

The opposite of “hardship” — its antonyms — are softship and enthusiasm.

“Hardship” is a noun.

The word “hardship” comes from Middle English. From Middle English hardshipe, built from hard + -ship.

“Hardship” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

Hardship refers to a period of severe difficulty, suffering, or lack, often describing an ongoing condition such as poverty or loss. Struggle emphasizes the effort of fighting against a difficulty, and can describe a shorter or more active process, whereas hardship focuses on the difficult condition itself.

Financial hardship describes a period of severe difficulty involving lack of money, such as being unable to afford housing, food, or medical care. It is a common phrase used in contexts like loan applications, tax relief, and government assistance programs.

Hardship can describe both personal suffering, such as illness or loss, and economic difficulty, such as poverty or unemployment. The word broadly refers to any period of severe difficulty or hard times, regardless of the specific cause.