capable of enduring fatigue, hardship, exposure, etc.; sturdy; strong.
hardy explorers of northern Canada.
(of plants) able to withstand the cold of winter in the open air.
requiring great physical courage, vigor, or endurance.
the hardiest sports.
bold or daring; courageous.
hardy soldiers.
unduly bold; presumptuous; foolhardy.
Godfrey Harold, 1877–1947, English mathematician.
Oliver, 1892–1957, U.S. motion-picture comedian.
Thomas, 1840–1928, English novelist and poet.
having or demanding a tough constitution; robust
bold; courageous
foolhardy; rash
(of plants) able to live out of doors throughout the winter
Oliver. See Laurel and Hardy
Thomas. 1840–1928, British novelist and poet. Most of his novels are set in his native Dorset (part of his fictional Wessex) and include Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895), after which his work consisted chiefly of verse
Sir Thomas Masterman. 1769–1839, British naval officer, flag captain under Nelson (1799–1805): 1st Sea Lord (1830)
1175–1225; Middle English hardi < Old French, past participle of *hardir to harden, make brave < Germanic; compare Gothic -hardjan, Old High German hartjan to harden
Hardy means tough––if you're hardy, you don't get tired easily and can endure hardship. People who don't catch cold often attribute this fact to their coming from hardy farming stock. Before 1200, hardy indicated boldness and daring in battle and was probably influenced by hard. Warriors are hardy: they’re brave and strong and don’t easily tire. Plants and animals can also be hardy if they can survive harsh weather or poor growing conditions. When planting a lawn, you should pick hardy species of grass, which will survive droughts and come back after long, cold winters.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“He was one of the guys who wanted to protect his community,” his sister, Tianna Hardy, told me later.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
It was a petty beef arising from disrespectful comments made to someone’s girlfriend, but Tylon Hardy responded anyway.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
Emma Hardy, Communications Director at the Internet Watch Foundation, said "innovative solutions" needed to be looked at including on parts of the internet that are end-to-end encrypted.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
In addition, Hardy earned first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press and was one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award for college football’s top running back.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
Fenton Hardy, Frank and Joe’s dad, was a private investigator who used to work with the local Bayport police force.
From "Hopping Mad (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #4)" by Franklin W. Dixon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
