hardship

noun

hard·ship ˈhärd-ˌship

Synonyms of hardship

: privation, suffering

recovering from financial hardship

: something that causes or entails suffering or privation

the hardships of life on the frontier

Examples of hardship in a Sentence

He had suffered through considerable hardship. The city has been experiencing a period of financial hardship. They had to endure the hardships of life on the frontier.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Many of them fled to the south to escape famine and economic hardship. — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026 The embezzlement caused so much financial hardship that the church was forced to reduce programming and take out loans to pay its expenses, the agreement said. — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026 Bulgarians voted against a backdrop of growing economic hardship and drone attacks on Black Sea shipping, which have left several sailors dead or missing. — Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026 As voters decide which party can best rescue their chance at the American Dream, political experts say prolonged economic hardship is the defining feature influencing voters in the midterms. — Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hardship

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler

The first known use of hardship was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hardship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardship. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

hardship

noun

hard·ship ˈhärd-ˌship

: pain entry 1 sense 2a, privation

: something that causes pain or loss

hardship

noun

Synonyms of hardship

Examples of hardship in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Pyrrhic

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes