Hard Meaning
Hard Definition & Usage
Having a solid, firm, or rigid surface or structure; not soft or yielding.
Examples
- "The rock was so hard that it took hours to break through."
- "She knocked on the door with a hard fist."
- "The leather jacket was stiff and hard from years of wear."
- "The wood was too hard to carve with a regular knife."
- "He hit the baseball with such a hard swing that it flew over the fence."
Difficult to do or achieve.
Examples
- "The exam was really hard, but I managed to pass."
- "She’s been working hard on the project for weeks."
- "It’s hard to make decisions when there are so many options."
- "Learning a new language can be hard, but it's worth the effort."
- "The competition was hard, and only a few teams made it to the finals."
With great effort, force, or intensity.
Examples
- "She worked hard to get the project completed on time."
- "The wind blew so hard that it knocked down several trees."
- "He studied hard for the test and it paid off."
- "They fought hard to win the championship."
- "I hit the button as hard as I could, but it still didn’t work."
A difficult or challenging situation or task.
Examples
- "The journey was full of hard times, but we pushed through."
- "Running the marathon was a hard, physical challenge."
- "The hard of making new friends in a new city is often underestimated."
- "He faced the hard of deciding between two job offers."
- "Building the company from the ground up was no easy hard."
Cultural Context
The word 'hard' has its roots in Old English, where it meant 'firm' or 'dense.' Over centuries, it expanded its meanings to encompass both physical characteristics (such as the rigidity of materials) and figurative challenges (such as difficulty or effort).
The Hard Journey of Hard Choices
Story
The Hard Journey of Hard Choices
Anna stood at the edge of the cliff, staring out at the vast ocean below. The wind was blowing so hard that it whipped her hair into her face, but she didn’t care. She had made it this far, and the hardest part was still to come: deciding whether to stay or go. It had been a hard year. She had lost her job in the city, and the idea of starting over had been a daunting challenge. But here she was, standing in front of the very choice that had been keeping her awake at night. The job offer in her hand was tempting—stable, secure, but boring. The other, a freelance opportunity, was exciting, yet uncertain. She had been working hard to make a decision, but the pressure was immense. As she looked down at the crashing waves, her thoughts drifted back to her first real job out of college. It had been a hard job—long hours, little recognition, but it had taught her to push through tough situations. That job had prepared her for moments like these, where the stakes were high and the consequences of choosing wrong could haunt her for years. Anna thought of the people she’d met in her travels, those who lived life on their own terms. They had all told her the same thing: life is hard, but the hardest part is taking the first step. That’s when she realized—no decision would be easy. No matter what path she chose, she would have to work hard to make it a success. With a deep breath, Anna crumpled the job offer and tossed it into the wind. The decision had been hard, but now, it was clear. She was ready to embrace the uncertainty, ready to face the hard work ahead. As she walked back to her car, the wind still blowing hard against her, Anna smiled. It was time for something new, and though the road ahead would be tough, she was confident that she could handle whatever came her way.
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