Collocations for "hardly"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "hardly" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
hardly
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.adv
- could hardly sleep last night
- so tired I can hardly stand (up)
- so weak she could hardly [stand, walk, speak]
- was so [tight, stuffy, hot, nervous] I could hardly breathe
- have hardly been able to [concentrate, work] at all today
- I could hardly believe my eyes!
- I could hardly [say no, refuse, ask]
- I can hardly wait [for, until]
- can hardly wait to [see you, go, try]
- I hardly know where to [start, begin]
- we hardly know each other
- hardly knew what hit him
- I hardly noticed
- you can hardly [notice, see] the [difference, join]
- hardly have any [time, energy, money] left
- have hardly any time for myself
- hardly had [time, a moment] to think
- in hardly any time at all
- know hardly anyone [here, at this party]
- knows hardly anything about
- sold hardly any [copies, books, units]
- hardly anyone [knows, suspects]
- it hardly makes [a, any] difference
- hardly ever get [a moment to myself, to eat steak]
- hardly ever [see, hear from] you anymore
- that is hardly the [case, first time that]
- is hardly the best option
- it was hardly [surprising, a surprise] (that)
- it can hardly be [said, expected] that
- can hardly speak a word of [English]
- (have) hardly touched your food
- was hardly [bigger, better, larger] than
- he was hardly recognizable
- is hardly what you would call [inspiring, an expert]
- had hardly [gotten home, walked in the door] when
- I hardly think (that) [this is, it's] a good idea
- UK: I hardly think so
- that is hardly what I meant!
- was hardly held together with [glue, tape]
'hardly' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Russian
- able
- change
- cinema
- cloud
- comprehend
- conducive
- conscious
- deterrent
- discipline
- dream
- dusk
- effect
- enlightenment
- entertaining
- ever
- excellent
- excite
- famous
- fault
- favor
- feasible
- flinch
- fog
- get
- glimpse
- glow
- groceries
- hurt
- irrelevant
- kernel
- know
- likely
- master
- merit
- money
- necessary
- noteworthy
- noticeable
- nowadays
- plausible
- predict
- presence
- recall
- representative
- restrain
- ripple
- saint
- sentence
- straightforward