noun · neutral

hardship

UK/ˈhɑːdʃɪp/US/ˈhɑrdʒɪp/HARD·ship

Band 5-6speakingtask2

a difficult or unpleasant condition, especially relating to lack of money or basic needs

Examples

Many families suffered severe hardship after the factory closed.

Students from low-income areas often face hardship when applying to university.

The charity helps people cope with economic hardship.

Band 8 sentence

Policies that reduce economic hardship—through targeted welfare and job training—can significantly improve children's long-term prospects.

Collocations

  • face / suffer / endure hardship
  • economic / financial hardship

Word family

hard adjectivehardly adverbhardship noun

Common mistakes

have a hardshipface / suffer hardship

in hardshipin hardship / under hardship (less common) → better: in difficult circumstances

Say it for a higher band

5difficulty6problem7+hardship

Synonyms

difficulty

adversity

Easily confused

difficulty

She had difficulty adapting to the new school.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In -ship

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