hard time

noun
UK: /ˌhɑːd ˈtaɪm/
US: /ˌhɑːrd ˈtaɪm/

  1. A period of difficulty or suffering.

    1. I had a hard time with my math test. [ ] [ ]
    2. Many people are having a hard time finding jobs these days because of the economy. [ ] [ ]

  2. A period in prison.

    1. He did hard time for robbery. [ ] [ ]
    2. Spending hard time in jail has hopefully taught him to avoid repeating that mistake again. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

difficulty struggle
hard time idiom

  1. To criticize or treat someone severely.

    1. Don't give him a hard time. [ ] [ ]
    2. The coach gave the team a hard time after they lost the important game. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "hard time" in English means: A period of difficulty or suffering., A period in prison..

The phonetic transcription of "hard time" is /ˌhɑːd ˈtaɪm/ in British English and /ˌhɑːrd ˈtaɪm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hard time": difficulty, struggle.

Example usage of "hard time": "I had a hard time with my math test.". More examples on the page.