ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hardship

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈhɑɹdʃɪp// UK //hˈɑːdʃɪp// hard·ship

n. a difficult situation that causes suffering or financial trouble. You use this word to describe serious problems, not just small annoyances.

n. severe suffering, distress, or financial difficulty. Typically uncountable in general usage; countable when referring to specific instances of adversity.


SIMPLE

The family faced many hardships during the war.

CONTEXTUAL

She saved every penny to prepare for future financial hardships.

COMPLEX

The memoir details the physical hardships of the expedition, from freezing temperatures to scarce rations, without romanticising the struggle.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English hardshipe, equivalent to hard + -ship.

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