What does hardily mean?
Hardily means in a hardy manner, especially with courage, endurance, or fortitude. It describes someone meeting hardship, danger, difficulty, or criticism without showing excessive fear or discouragement. The word has a formal, literary tone and is much less common than general alternatives such as bravely, boldly, or stoutly, but it adds a sense of sustained endurance as well as immediate boldness. Hardily can characterize an action, such as pressing on through a storm, or a person’s response to an unwelcome event, such as accepting bad news with dignity. It should not be confused with hardly, which means scarcely or barely. Although hardily is now unusual in everyday conversation, it remains useful in formal writing, historical prose, and descriptions that emphasize a conspicuously brave or resolute attitude. Its distinctive quality is the combination of courage and the ability to endure difficulty.
adverbIn a hardy manner; with courage, endurance, or fortitude.
- In a hardy manner, with courage, endurance, or fortitude.
"She bore the news hardily, meeting the blow with quiet dignity."
"The climbers pushed hardily through the storm despite the dangerous conditions."
"He accepted the criticism hardily and continued his work without complaint."
Hardily is not hardly: it describes meeting difficulty with courage, not doing something scarcely.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hardily come from?
Hardily was formed in English by adding the adverbial suffix -ly to the adjective hardy. Hardy comes through Old French hardi from Germanic roots and belongs to the same lexical family as hard, with which words such as hardship and harden are also connected. In earlier English usage, hardily expressed the quality associated with a hardy person: courage, endurance, and fortitude.
How hardily is actually used
This word is formal, literary, and relatively uncommon in modern English. Where it appears, it conveys a distinctly traditional or elevated sense of courage and endurance.
Easily confused with hardily
Hardily means with courage or fortitude, whereas hardly means scarcely or barely.