Hardly and Rather

Opposite meaning words

Hardly adverb - Certainly not.

Usage example: I would hardly think someone with her attitude could make a good manager

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Rather is an antonym for hardly.

Nearby Word: hard

Rather adverb - By choice or preference.

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Hardly is an antonym for rather.

This is a rather odd example, since Haruhi is hardly unattractive... but hardly attractive in the manner of most girls.

Source: I Want My Beloved to Be Fashionable
Because of the show's hardly-known existence, most people remember it as a computer game from Disney Interactive rather than a Disney show.

Source: Keep Circulating The Tapes / Western Animation
The truth is rather complicated: while Commissars' required duties will hardly make many friends, a lot of them really do deserve the resentment of the troops they are attached to.

Source: Characters / Warhammer 40000 Imperial Guard

Cite this Source

Rather and Hardly. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 22, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/hardly/rather

Hardly & Rather. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/hardly/rather>.

Rather or Hardly. 2016. Accessed July 22, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/hardly/rather.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "hardly" and "rather" have occurred on timeline