HARDSHIPS Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

hardships

noun

plural of hardship

as in difficulties

something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal working two jobs was a hardship he was willing to endure to get out of debt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of hardships The marine park closed to the public in 2024 amid financial hardships and concerns about animal welfare. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Miley was inspired to launch her organization in part after the passing of transgender teen Leelah Alcorn, whose death was a big wake-up call for those who were unaware or unfamiliar with the hardships transgender youth experience daily. — Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 From the late 1990s on, Parton recognized that her hitmaking days were behind her, and frequently returned to songs and sounds associated with the pleasures and hardships of her mountain youth. — Jewly Hight, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026 The publication has also written repeatedly about the hardships faced by sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 Part of the issue is that as the economic hardships continue, more people are adding to their debt loads by turning to expensive, short-term borrowing options, like credit cards, to fill in the gaps. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 Through hardships, culture clashes and humorous moments lost in translation, Ivan will, over the course of the series, take on the Herculean task of building a business and rebuilding a life. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026 The show also depicts its hardships with disarming frankness, even verging on despondency. — Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 An Arizona doughnut shop was saved by its community after the owner revealed hardships that would have otherwise ended the business, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardships

difficulties

Noun

If stress itself is taken as evidence that a relationship is unhealthy, the normal difficulties of human interaction begin to look pathological.

— David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Summary Nigeria will rejoin FTSE Russell's frontier market equity indexes on September 21, reversing its 2023 removal due to foreign exchange repatriation difficulties.

— Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficulties

Browse Nearby Words

hardship

hardships

hardtop

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hardships.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardships. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hardships

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes