as in poor
lacking money or material possessions despite being undeniably hard up, they had too much pride to accept charity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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 hard up Kai Jones does not have two-way eligibility, and that matters a lot for a team hard up against the luxury tax. —
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025 This letter descended to Charles Austen and thence to his granddaughters, who, hard up, sold it in the 1920s, part of a larger cache of relics and manuscripts. —Literary Hub, 4 Aug. 2025 Obviously someone who loses their job and is really hard up for cash will give serious thought to canceling or pausing subscriptions. —Josef Adalian, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025 After decades of bringing us the incredible shrinking transistor, chipmakers are now hard up against the limits of their printing technique: Trying to use today’s ultraviolet lasers to print the next generation of circuits would be like trying to trace a fine line with a preschooler’s crayon. —IEEE Spectrum, 30 Dec. 2011 See All Example Sentences for hard up
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025 This letter descended to Charles Austen and thence to his granddaughters, who, hard up, sold it in the 1920s, part of a larger cache of relics and manuscripts. —Literary Hub, 4 Aug. 2025 Obviously someone who loses their job and is really hard up for cash will give serious thought to canceling or pausing subscriptions. —Josef Adalian, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025 After decades of bringing us the incredible shrinking transistor, chipmakers are now hard up against the limits of their printing technique: Trying to use today’s ultraviolet lasers to print the next generation of circuits would be like trying to trace a fine line with a preschooler’s crayon. —IEEE Spectrum, 30 Dec. 2011 See All Example Sentences for hard up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard up
Adjective
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The Braves couldn’t overcome a poor start from Reynaldo López and saw their six-game winning streak fall by the wayside in an 11-4 loss to the Nationals on Tuesday at Nationals Park.— Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 22 Apr. 2026
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In the days leading up to his fatal overdose, Prince was in poor health and was forced to cancel shows in Atlanta.— Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Marriott’s report was the first time a British aid charity had documented how taxpayers’ money was funding a business accused of detaining impoverished African patients.— Hettie O'Brien, The Dial, 21 Apr. 2026
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Sickert is showcased here for both his impressionistic instincts and his portrayal of previously taboo art subjects such as prostitutes and the impoverished.— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Highway Trust Fund — the primary federal account dedicated to funding highways, bridges and transit — is going broke.— Andrew Stasiowski, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
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By the beginning of the second episode, Margo has dropped out of school and is the totally broke single mother to a colicky baby, Bodhi, who cries so committedly that two of Margo’s roommates move out.— Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/hard%20up. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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