hard put

[hahrd-poot] / ˈhɑrdˈpʊt /

ADJECTIVE

strained

Synonyms

STRONGEST

constrained labored stiff tense tight uneasy

STRONG

choked embarrassed put wired wreck

WEAK

artificial at end of rope awkward difficult false farfetched in a state nervous wreck self-conscious strung-out taut uncomfortable unglued unnatural unrelaxed uptight

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm comfortable easy easygoing laid-back loose relaxed slack

WEAK

genuine unforced

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.

Without the label you’d be hard put to know he’d painted them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 24, 2026

"People come up to me now at conventions and say 'you can do this as a job?' I'm like 'just try really hard, put your artwork out there and it can happen'."

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2023

Graham and Goold aren’t comfortable with intimacy, and this is just one of the ways in which their show is modern: one is hard put to find young playwrights who talk about love.

From The New Yorker • Apr. 29, 2019

While it is possible that this reservoir of supporters will not become activists, if they did the government would be hard put to cope.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2018

Even Apollo for a few minutes was hard put to it to overtake her; still, of course, he soon gained.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

hard put

Example Sentences

Related Words