hardy

adjective

har·​dy ˈhär-dē How to pronounce hardy (audio)
hardier; hardiest
1
: bold, brave
a hardy intrepid spirit
2
3
a
: accustomed to dealing with fatigue or hardships : robust
The soldiers were strong and hardy.
b
: capable of withstanding adverse conditions
hardy outdoor furniture
hardy plants
hardy cattle
hardily adverb
hardiness noun

Examples of hardy in a Sentence

Most of the soldiers were hardy young men. Hardy fans stuck with the team through good times and bad. Only the hardiest pilgrims made the journey.
Recent Examples on the Web In the winter, tender bonsai need to go indoors or in a greenhouse; hardy plants can stay outdoors as long as they're protected from drying wind and direct sun. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 That northeastern place of hardy types and snowbound winters is quickly going electric, installing electric heat pumps three times faster than the national average, according to Rewiring America, a nonprofit that promotes widespread electrical adoption. Cara Buckley, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 These hardy souls, largely indifferent to political and economic turbulence, were the mainstay of the tourist economy during the civil war that besmirched the lives of an entire generation from the 1980s on. Chandrahas Choudhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2024 And both are hardy perennials that can hold their own in occasionally dry soil in the summer heat. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2024 The similarities suggest the mechanism may be a common trigger for tuns and other forms of hardy dormancy, a phenomenon that scientists call cryptobiosis. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 17 Jan. 2024 Influenza viruses are cold-weather viruses — hardier in cold weather. Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2023 Real Growth Is Coming Business owners are nothing if not a hardy bunch. Dane Stangler, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Unusually hardy, the bacteria can survive refrigeration and even freezing, the Mayo Clinic says. Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hardy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hardi, from Anglo-French, from Old French *hardir to make hard, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English heard hard

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hardy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near hardy

Cite this Entry

“Hardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hardy

har·​dy ˈhärd-ē How to pronounce hardy (audio)
adjective hardier; hardiest
1
2
: able to stand fatigue or hardships : robust
3
: able to survive unfavorable conditions (as of weather)
a hardy rose bush
hardily adverb
hardiness noun

Biographical Definition

Hardy 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

Har·​dy ˈhär-dē How to pronounce Hardy (audio)
Oliver 1892–1957 originally Norvell Hardy American comic actor

Hardy

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

Thomas 1840–1928 English novelist and poet
Hardyesque adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hardy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!