hardship

[ hahrd-ship ]

noun

1. a condition that is difficult to endure; suffering; deprivation; oppression:

   a life of hardship.

   Synonyms: misfortune, suffering, affliction, trouble

   Antonyms: ease

2. an instance or cause of this; something hard to bear, as a deprivation, lack of comfort, or constant toil or danger:

   They faced bravely the many hardships of frontier life.

hardship

/ ˈhɑːdʃɪp /

noun

1. conditions of life difficult to endure
2. something that causes suffering or privation

Word History and Origins

Origin of hardship¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; hard + -ship

Synonym Study

Hardship, privation, austerity refer to a condition hard to endure. Hardship applies to a circumstance in which excessive and painful effort of some kind is required, as enduring acute discomfort from cold, or battling over rough terrain. Privation has particular reference to lack of food, clothing, and other necessities or comforts. Austerity not only includes the ideas of privation and hardship but also implies deliberate control of emotional reactions to these.

Example Sentences

Although much of Yoakam’s most celebrated work has centered on classic country themes such as hardship, heartache, loneliness and drifting, “Brighter Days” demonstrates considerable joy.

From Los Angeles Times

His successor Ranil Wickremesinghe managed to negotiate a bailout package worth $3bn with the International Monetary Fund - but many Sri Lankans continue to feel economic hardship.

From BBC

But people can also try to convince a court a ban would result in exceptional hardship, which could lead to being allowed to drive despite having wracked up 12 points or more.

From BBC

Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said the "shocking statistics" called into question the definition of exceptional hardship.

From BBC

She added people who already have points, or who had escaped a ban based on exceptional hardship, which they cannot apply for on the same grounds more than once in a three-year period, were often "a lot more careful than anybody else on the road".

From BBC

Related Words

• adversity
• calamity
• catastrophe
• danger
• difficulty
• disaster
• discomfort
• fatigue
• grief
• hazard
• injury
• misery
• misfortune
• oppression
• peril
• persecution
• sorrow
• suffering
• torment
• trouble