hardly
Translation
hardly, scarcely, barely
Examples
I can hardly hear you.
I can hardly hear you.
She hardly ever calls me.
She hardly ever calls me.
There was hardly any food left.
There was hardly any food left.
Grammar Patterns
((hardly)) ((verb)) almost not do something I can hardly believe it.
((hardly)) ((ever)) almost never We hardly ever see each other.
Similar Words
Synonyms: barely, scarcely, almost not; Antonyms: often, frequently, easily
Etymology
From 'hard' + the adverbial suffix '-ly'. The meaning shifted from 'severely' to 'scarcely'.
Memory Tips
Be careful! 'Hardly' does not mean 'in a hard way'. It means 'almost not'. 'I work hard' is correct, but 'I work hardly' is not.