hardy

hardy — adjective

1. able to put up with severe cold, hard physical work, or difficult living conditi

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

able to put up with severe cold, hard physical work, or difficult living conditions without getting weak or sick.

Example

The hardy mountain guides carried their gear up the icy slope without stopping to rest.

collocation: hardy + people working in tough conditions

Yael's grandmother is remarkably hardy — she still walks to the market at age eighty-eight.

Common collocations
  • hardy breed
  • hardy souls
  • hardy stock
  • hardy traveller
  • remarkably hardy
  • exceptionally hardy
Synonyms
  • tough

    more general; can describe objects or people; less specific about enduring cold

  • resilient

    emphasises recovery after hardship rather than enduring it

  • robust

    focuses on strength and health; often used for systems or objects too

  • sturdy

    suggests physical strong build; more about structure than endurance

Antonyms
  • delicate

    easily damaged or weakened by harsh conditions

  • frail

    weak and likely to become ill or injured

Usage Note

Frequently used with nouns referring to people, animals, or groups that face physically demanding conditions. The comparative form is hardier and the superlative is hardiest.

Common Mistakes

This metal table is very hardy.
This metal table is very strong / durable.
hardy describes living things or groups that endure hardship, not the toughness of objects.
She is a hard worker, very hardy.
She is a hard worker, very resilient.
'hard worker' means someone who works a lot; 'hardy' means someone who can endure tough conditions.

2. able to survive the cold months of winter when left outdoors without any extra p

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

able to survive the cold months of winter when left outdoors without any extra protection or covering.

Example

These hardy roses bloom again every spring even after weeks of freezing temperatures.

collocation: hardy + plant names

Anjali planted only hardy shrubs on the north side because that area gets no winter sun.

Common collocations
  • hardy annual
  • hardy perennial
  • hardy shrub
  • hardy variety
  • not hardy enough
  • fully hardy
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • tender

    cannot survive frost or cold weather; gardening term

  • half-hardy

    can survive mild cold but needs protection from hard frost

Usage Note

In gardening contexts, 'hardy' is often contrasted with 'half-hardy' (needs protection in cold weather) and 'tender' (cannot survive frost at all). Plants are classified by hardiness zones.

Common Mistakes

The hardy cactus died because I forgot to water it.
The cactus died because I forgot to water it.
hardy relates to cold tolerance, not drought resistance; use 'drought-tolerant' for water issues.

3. brave and confident enough to take risks or do things that others find shocking

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

brave and confident enough to take risks or do things that others find shocking or too bold.

Example

The young delegate made a hardy speech criticising her own party's long-standing policies.

collocation: hardy + speech / move / decision

Christopher's hardy decision to sail alone across the Atlantic amazed even his closest friends.

Common collocations
  • hardy soul
  • hardy spirit
  • hardy decision
  • hardy move
  • hardy speech
Synonyms
  • bold

    broader; less formal; suggests confidence without the shock factor

  • daring

    emphasises willingness to take risks; more common in modern English

  • audacious

    similar formality level but can imply showing disrespect

  • fearless

    focuses on absence of fear rather than active risk-taking

Antonyms
  • timid

    lacking confidence or courage

  • cautious

    avoiding risks or bold actions

Usage Note

This sense is less common in everyday speech and carries a formal or literary tone. It overlaps partly with 'bold' but suggests greater risk and a touch of audacity.

Common Mistakes

He was hardy enough to ask for a pay rise.
He was bold enough to ask for a pay rise.
'hardy' in this sense has a formal or old-fashioned feel; 'bold' is more natural in modern workplace conversations.
Idioms

Laurel and Hardy

idiom

a famous comedy duo from American film: the thin, well-mannered Stan Laurel and the large, pompous Oliver Hardy, whose comic mishaps entertained audiences from the 1920s to the 1950s.

Brandon and his brother were like Laurel and Hardy at the party — one knocking things over and the other getting the blame.

Word family

  • hardily
    adverbC1
  • hardiness
    nounC1
  • hardier
    adjective (comparative)B2
  • hardiest
    adjective (superlative)B2
  • half-hardy
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe the ability to withstand difficulty, but they differ in focus. 'Hardy' specifically emphasises enduring harsh physical conditions (cold, hard work) and is most often used for living things — people, animals, plants. 'Tough' is the broadest, covering physical strength, mental grit, and even the durability of objects ('a tough tyre'). 'Resilient' centres on the ability to recover after hardship ('a resilient economy'), while 'hardy' focuses on withstanding hardship in the first place. 'Robust' suggests vigorous health and strength, often for systems or organisations ('robust sales growth'). 'Sturdy' highlights solid physical build ('a sturdy chair'). In a sentence: 'The hardy mountain goats climbed the frozen cliff' — here 'sturdy' would be too structural, 'resilient' too recovery-focused, 'tough' too general.

tough ↗resilient ↗robust ↗sturdy

Common collocations

Nouns

  • people
  • plants
  • animals
  • breeds
  • varieties

Adverbs

  • remarkably hardy
  • exceptionally hardy
  • surprisingly hardy
  • extremely hardy
  • particularly hardy

Phrases

  • a hardy breed
  • hardy enough to
  • not hardy enough

Etymology

Proto-GermanicFrankishOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Hardy entered English in the 13th century from Old French 'hardi' meaning 'bold, courageous', which came from the verb 'hardir' ('to harden, become bold'). That verb had Germanic origins, from Frankish '*hardjan' ('to make hard'), tracing back to Proto-Germanic '*harduz' ('hard'). The meaning shifted over time from 'bold in battle' toward the modern sense of being physically resilient and able to endure hardship.