it hardly is

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it hardly is" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express skepticism or doubt about a statement or situation that has just been mentioned. Example: "Many people believe that the new policy will improve productivity, but it hardly is effective in addressing the real issues."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

That may be a comforting view, but it hardly is accurate.

The New York Times

They believe themselves to be better than other people of color ― it hardly is worth pointing out since it is so obvious.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

But it hardly was the only one.

The Washington Post

It could hardly be worse.

The New Yorker

It could hardly be otherwise.

The New York Times

It can hardly be worse.

The Economist

It could hardly be lovelier.

The Washington Post

It could hardly be more timely.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

It will hardly be noticed.

The New York Times

It can hardly be otherwise.

The New York Times

It could hardly be more different today.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it hardly is" to politely express disagreement or skepticism about a statement. It softens the contradiction, making it less confrontational.

Common error

Avoid using "it hardly is" when you want to express a strong contradiction. The phrase implies a mild disagreement, not a complete rejection of the idea.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it hardly is" functions as a qualifier, softening a statement or expressing mild disagreement. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. The word 'hardly' modifies the verb 'is', indicating a minimal degree or likelihood.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Academia

17%

Science

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it hardly is" is a grammatically sound expression used to convey mild disagreement or doubt, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While not as common as other similar phrases, it serves as a polite way to express skepticism, particularly in neutral contexts like news and media. It's essential to use "it hardly is" when a soft negation is needed, rather than a stronger contradiction. Alternatives such as "it is scarcely" or "it is barely" can be considered for nuanced meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it is scarcely

Replaces "hardly" with "scarcely", indicating a minimal degree or amount.

it is barely

Substitutes "hardly" with "barely", suggesting a minimal existence or occurrence.

it is just about

Replaces "hardly" with "just about", indicating something is only marginally true or possible.

it is not really

Uses a more direct negation to convey that something is not genuinely the case.

it is faintly

Replaces "hardly" with "faintly", indicating a slight or weak degree.

it is remotely

Suggests that something is not true even in the slightest degree.

it scarcely seems

Adds "seems" to indicate a lack of apparent truth.

it is not at all

Emphasizes the negation, indicating a complete absence of the stated quality.

it's far from

Indicates that something is not close to being true or accurate.

it isn't exactly

Conveys that something is not precisely as described or expected.

FAQs

How can I use "it hardly is" in a sentence?

Use "it hardly is" to express mild disagreement or to suggest that something is not quite accurate. For example: "Many people believe that the new policy will improve productivity, but "it hardly is" effective in addressing the real issues."

What are some alternatives to "it hardly is"?

Alternatives include "it is scarcely", "it is barely", or "it is not really", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "it hardly is" grammatically correct?

Yes, "it hardly is" is grammatically correct. It follows standard English sentence structure, with "it" as the subject, "is" as the verb, and "hardly" as an adverb modifying the verb.

What is the difference between "it hardly is" and "it is hardly"?

"It hardly is" places emphasis on the verb "is", subtly questioning the truth or validity of something. "It is hardly", which is much more common, is a more general statement of something not being the case.