Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

hard times

  • plural
    of hard time.
    hard time
    noun
    a period of difficulties or hardship.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

For all his recent hard times, Ohtani is one of five players in the majors with a .900 OPS.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

“Workers see the headlines, hear about their friends. Crucially they hear about workers having incredibly hard times getting back into jobs, which amplifies the risk of being laid off,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

For our ancient ancestors, this meant that if weight was lost in hard times, their bodies would be able to “get back” to their usual weight during better times.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

It’s everyone’s song who relates to sticking it out, making it through the hard times and being there for each other at the end of the day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Mpandhlani and his clique, though while the compound was in operation never went hungry, fell on hard times when it was suddenly closed down, and the clique broke up.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane