hard done by
used, cheated, or exploited by
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He feels hard done by after losing his job.”
“She felt hard done by when her manager gave the promotion to someone with less experience.”
“The workers felt hard done by after the company cut their benefits while the executives received large bonuses.”
- 01
bone hard
As hard as a bone, rock hard.
- 02
cold hard cash
Money, regarded as an incentive that can override any doubts or ethical concerns.
- 03
die hard
Of a living being, to die only after a desperate struggle for life.
- 04
drive a hard bargain
To negotiate forcefully.
- 05
give someone a hard time
To cause difficulty or make trouble for someone.
- 06
go hard with someone
To lead to someone suffering; to place someone in difficulty or danger.
- 07
hard as nails
Very unsympathetic; callous
- 08
hard at work
Labouring with great effort and diligence; working hard.
Last updated August 10, 2026