easy
I could hardly hear the whisper.
What does Hardly mean?
Hardly means almost not.
Dictionary definition
Almost not, or only a very small amount.
Example sentences
Hardly in a sentence
medium
There was hardly any water left in the bottle.
hard
The clue was so small that the reader could hardly notice it on the first page.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice hardly in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Hardly
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does hardly mean?
Hardly means almost not or only a little.
Practice 2
Which word is closest in meaning to hardly?
Barely and hardly both mean almost not.
Practice 3
Which sentence uses hardly correctly?
Hardly fits a sentence about something happening only a little.
Practice complete
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You completed 3 questions.
Pronunciation coach
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Hardly
Voice settings
Sounds like
hard · lee · strongest beat: hard
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordHardly.
Partadverb.
MeaningHardly means almost not.
ExampleExample: I could hardly hear the whisper.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- hard · lee
- Strongest beat
- hard
- Ending
- lee
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on hard.
Your turn
Say Hardly
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Ready when you are.
Nice work—you practiced hardly.
Synonyms
Words like Hardly
Antonyms
Opposite words
clearlyIn an easy-to-notice way.
fullyCompletely or entirely.
Synonym practice
Want to practice hardly synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "Mia could hardly hear the whisper," then compare close word choices. Practice hardly synonyms.
Word family
Hardly word family
Related words
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Student support
Understand Hardly
Hint for students
Hardly means almost not.
Common mix-up
Hardly is not the same as clearly. Hardly means hardly means almost not.
Try it in class or at home
Read this model sentence: There was hardly any water left in the bottle. Clue words: there, any, water. Underline clue words that show why hardly fits instead of clearly. Now write one new sentence that shows hardly without using the word hardly. Ask: Does my sentence clearly show hardly?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to explain this model sentence: "There was hardly any water left in the bottle." Why does hardly fit better than clearly?
Learning activities
Practice Hardly and explore more word games
Cards labelled “Practice HARDLY” keep this word in focus. Explore cards open games with other words.
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Sentence Builder
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