hard time

noun

US
: a long or difficult prison sentence
He could be facing hard time for his crimes.

Examples of hard time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Perry will appear in two out of six Season 7 episodes as a cop who gives Jackie a hard time about considering rejoining the police force at her age. Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 5 Mar. 2025 The Masuk fans had been giving Peter a hard time during the game; Peter looked at them toward the end and pantomimed putting a ring on his finger. Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2025 Aaron struggled to connect with the coaches and fellow players and experienced a hard time fitting in. Dr. Ruth Gotian, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025 This unionization effort is taking place at for-profit and nonprofit entities, but nonprofits are having a particularly hard time right now. James Barron, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hard time

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hard time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20time. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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!