Words / B1

HAHDL-ee/ˈhɑːdli/

Hardly means almost not; only just: I could hardly hear; hardly anyone came; hardly ever. Hard is different: work hard (a lot of effort) or a hard test (difficult). Barely and scarcely are close synonyms of hardly. Hardly had we sat down when… is a formal inversion. Do not use hardly as “in a hard way” — that is hard. Place hardly before the main verb: I hardly slept.

Meaning

Almost not; only just.

Examples

• “I could hardly hear what she said.”
• “Hardly anyone came to the evening class.”
• “There is hardly any milk left.”

Good to know

hardly + verb. hardly anyone / any / ever. Not work hard. Close: barely / scarcely. Formal: hardly had + subject.

Near in meaning

barely

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