hardly tried

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly tried" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone made very little effort or attempted something only to a minimal extent. Example: "He hardly tried to solve the problem, which is why he failed the test."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

This is uncertain, since he's hardly tried.

The Guardian

He has hardly tried to hide his activities.

The New York Times

He hardly tried to kill him, did he?

The Guardian - Sport

It hardly tried - or perhaps it had no time - to develop any natural traditions of its own.

The Guardian - Books

A group of cardiologists from New Zealand and Australia did, and they hardly tried to hide Pravachol's shortcomings in women and older people.

The New Yorker

Yet when bowling to Joe Root he hardly tried to bowl a bouncer; against Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad he may have tried occasionally but nothing happened.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

"I hardly try to measure waves in feet anymore".

The New Yorker

(Come on, guys, you're hardly trying there).

The Guardian - Tech

Along the way, hardly trying, I wound up with a stack of Wilco discs.

The New Yorker

His voice still sounds pure and strong, although he's hardly trying.

The Guardian - Music

Of course developers are hardly trying to make games that aren't fun.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hardly tried" to emphasize a lack of significant effort or a minimal attempt, particularly when contrasting it with expected or required effort.

Common error

Avoid using "hardly tried" when a stronger negative statement is more appropriate. If the effort was completely absent, use "didn't try at all" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly tried" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating the extent to which an action was performed. It suggests a minimal level of effort or attempt. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature, aligning with its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hardly tried" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that indicates a minimal effort or attempt, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While it is not exceedingly common, it finds frequent use in news and media contexts to express criticism or disappointment regarding a lack of exerted effort. When writing, remember that "hardly tried" is most effective when contrasting it with expected or required effort, but should be avoided if a stronger negative statement is necessary. For semantically close alternatives, consider "scarcely attempted" or "barely made an effort".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely attempted

Indicates a minimal level of attempt, similar to "hardly tried" but with a slightly more formal tone.

barely made an effort

Emphasizes the lack of exertion, synonymous with "hardly tried" in expressing minimal effort.

made little attempt

Highlights the insignificance of the attempt made, mirroring the meaning of "hardly tried".

didn't put much effort

Focuses on the absence of significant effort, akin to "hardly tried" in conveying a lack of exertion.

made a weak attempt

Suggests the attempt was feeble and not substantial, similar to the meaning of "hardly tried".

negligibly attempted

Implies the attempt was so small as to be almost non-existent, like "hardly tried" but more formal.

minimally attempted

Highlights that the attempt was at the lowest possible level, similar to "hardly tried".

did not try much

A more direct and simple way of saying "hardly tried", focusing on the limited effort.

showed little inclination

Indicates a lack of willingness to try, implying that little effort was made.

only half-heartedly tried

Suggests a lack of enthusiasm or commitment in the attempt, conveying a similar sentiment to "hardly tried".

FAQs

What does "hardly tried" mean?

The phrase "hardly tried" means that someone made very little effort or only attempted something to a minimal extent. It indicates a lack of serious or substantial effort.

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

You can use "hardly tried" to describe someone's lack of effort, such as, "He "hardly tried" to study for the exam, so he failed".

What can I say instead of "hardly tried"?

You can use alternatives like "scarcely attempted", "barely made an effort", or "made little attempt" depending on the context.

Is "hardly tried" grammatically correct?

Yes, "hardly tried" is grammatically correct. The adverb "hardly" correctly modifies the verb "tried" to indicate a minimal level of effort.