NYT Dictionary

HARDLY

/ˈhɑɹdli/
AdverbInterjectionHARD-lyhard-ly · 2 syllablesGrade 4

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019, 2020

Meaning

Barely, only just, almost not.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English hardely, hardliche, from Old English heardlīċe (“boldly; hardily; without ease; in a way that causes pain; not easily; only by degrees”), equivalent to hard + -ly. Compare Dutch hardelijk, German härtlich.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

barelyjustonly justscarcelyscarcehardalmostbadlybitterlyclosely

NYT Puzzle Appearances

No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2019, 2020.

Join the Spelling Bee Community

Get solving strategies, rare word lists, and puzzle tips in your inbox every week.