it was hardly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was hardly" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something is barely true or not significant in a particular context. Example: "It was hardly surprising that she won the award, given her outstanding performance throughout the year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It was hardly concealed.

The New York Times

It was hardly necessary.

The New Yorker

It was hardly serious.

The New York Times

It was hardly hopeful.

The New Yorker

It was hardly hundreds.

The New York Times

And it was hardly unique.

The New York Times - Tech

But it was hardly seamless.

Independent

But it was hardly unique.

The New York Times

It was hardly a surprise.

The New York Times

But it was hardly needed.

Independent

But it was hardly cheery.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it was hardly" to subtly express a lack of importance, significance, or completeness. It's effective when you want to downplay a situation without directly negating it.

Common error

While acceptable, overuse of "it was hardly" can make your writing seem hesitant or lacking confidence. Opt for more direct language when the context requires a stronger statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was hardly" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or adjective to express that something is true only to a small degree or almost not at all. It adds a nuance of understatement or mild negation, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Academia

21%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was hardly" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to subtly downplay the significance or truth of a statement. Ludwig's analysis confirms its correctness and prevalence across diverse sources, particularly in news media and academic writing. While highly versatile, it is best employed when aiming for understatement and a measured tone. As an adverbial phrase, it provides a nuanced way to express that something only marginally meets a certain condition or expectation. Remember to avoid overuse, as Ludwig notes, to maintain a confident writing style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it barely was

Emphasizes the minimal extent to which something existed or was true.

it scarcely was

Highlights the infrequency or insufficiency of something.

it was just barely

Focuses on the narrow margin by which something occurred or was true.

it was almost not

Suggests that something nearly didn't happen or exist.

it was remotely not

Indicates that something was not true to even a small degree.

it was by no means

Affirms that something was definitely not the case.

it wasn't really

Informally downplays the significance or truth of something.

it was not quite

Suggests that something fell short of being fully true or complete.

it did not quite

Emphasizes that something did not fully reach a certain state or level.

it was far from

Stresses that something was significantly different or opposite.

FAQs

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

Use "it was hardly" to express that something was only marginally true or significant. For example, "It was hardly a surprise when she won, given her talent".

What are some alternatives to "it was hardly"?

You can use alternatives such as "it barely was", "it scarcely was", or "it was just barely" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "it was hardly"?

Yes, "it was hardly" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in English. It indicates that something was true to a very small degree or almost not at all.

What's the difference between "it was hardly" and "it was almost"?

"It was hardly" suggests a minimal degree of something being true, whereas "it was almost" indicates that something nearly happened but did not.