hardly change

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly change" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has made very little or no change at all. Example: "Despite the new policies implemented last year, the overall performance of the team has hardly changed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

His expression would hardly change.

The New Yorker

Once invented, the handaxe would hardly change over 1m years.

The Economist

Having campaigned against corruption, he could hardly change course.

The New York Times

The answer, in short: he would hardly change a thing.

The Guardian - Sport

Certainly, parliament can make its voice heard, but it can hardly change anything that the government has decided to do.

The Guardian - Opinion

He can hardly change his force's composition overnight, he reasonably says, when police numbers are falling, not rising.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

As it is now, the music could be switched to a random pop song, and it would hardly change a thing.

The New York Times - Arts

On many days, prices for credit default swaps hardly change at all, but when they do change, it is often by a large amount.

The New York Times

That's an impressive number and a potentially useful and reassuring figure to curious taxpayers, but it will hardly change Al Qaeda's strategy.

The New York Times

Having offered up her version of the e-mails story, Clinton could hardly change tack, but she had to do something to arrest the decline in her numbers.

The New Yorker

for doing nothing to wean the United States off imported oil" – would hardly change the mind of the candidate who has called for a halt to Muslim immigration.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hardly change" to emphasize the stability or lack of significant modification in a subject over time or despite certain conditions. For stronger emphasis, consider its synonyms such as "barely change" or "scarcely change".

Common error

Avoid using "hardly change" when there is a noticeable difference or alteration. This phrase is best suited for situations where the modification is minimal or negligible.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly change" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating the degree to which a verb's action is carried out. It conveys that there's minimal or negligible alteration. Ludwig confirms that it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hardly change" is a versatile expression used to convey minimal or negligible alteration. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and appropriate for a wide array of contexts, with a neutral register. It is frequently found in scientific and news-related sources, signifying its applicability in both formal and informal discourse. Related phrases like "marginally alter" and "scarcely modify" offer nuanced alternatives. When using "hardly change", ensure that the context genuinely reflects a lack of substantial modification to maintain accuracy and avoid overstatement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

marginally alter

Indicates a slight degree of change, similar to hardly any change.

scarcely modify

Emphasizes the infrequency or insignificance of the modification.

barely transform

Highlights the minimal nature of the transformation.

almost remain

Focuses on the state of remaining nearly the same.

virtually stay

Stresses the practical equivalence to staying unchanged.

minimally evolve

Suggests the evolutionary change is very slight.

nominally adjust

Implies the adjustment is small and perhaps only in name.

invisibly convert

Highlights the transformation is not really visible.

essentially freeze

Implies something has frozen in its current state and won't be changing.

remain static

Describes something that does not move or change.

FAQs

What does "hardly change" mean?

The phrase "hardly change" means that something remains almost the same or experiences very little alteration. It emphasizes the lack of significant modification.

How can I use "hardly change" in a sentence?

You can use "hardly change" to describe situations where something remains largely constant despite external factors. For example: "The price of the product "hardly change" despite inflation."

What are some alternatives to "hardly change"?

Alternatives to "hardly change" include "barely change", "scarcely modify", or "virtually stay". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "hardly change" and "slightly change"?

"Hardly change" implies a very small or almost nonexistent modification, while "slightly change" indicates a small but noticeable alteration. Use "hardly change" when the difference is minimal and "slightly change" when there's a perceptible shift.