Are you trying to figure out the best ways to say “hard time” in your writing?
Perhaps you’re worried the phrase is overly informal or unprofessional.
Well, you’ve come to the right place to learn a bit more about it.
This article will explain another word for “hard time” to help you meet different tones.
Other Ways to Say “Hard Time”
- Difficulty
- Struggle
- Adversity
- Tough situation
- Challenge
- Turmoil
- Rough patch
- Setback
- Obstacle
- Trial
- Dilemma
- Crisis
- Conundrum
- Predicament
- Hardship
- Upheaval
- Tough time
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “Hard time” is correct to use when showing that you struggle to do something or want to give someone a hard time.
- You can use “difficulty” as a formal synonym to help you mix things up in emails.
- “Struggle” works really well as something more informal if that suits the tone of your writing.
So, keep reading to learn another way to say “hard time.” We’ve touched on the best formal and informal alternatives to show you how they work in your writing.
It’s also worth skipping to the final section to find out whether “hard time” is correct. Then, you’ll know whether it’s something you should include before you look for alternatives.
Difficulty (Formal)
You can use “difficulty” as a professional way to say “hard time” in your writing.
This phrase works really well when writing to your boss.
It’s an opportunity for you to express how you might be having a hard time with something. This could give your employer a chance to help you or lighten the load a bit.
Generally, it’s good to be honest when you’re struggling with something in the workplace. You never know where you might get help from!
So, check out this email example to learn more:
Dear Ms. Sanchez,
I’m having difficulty with this task, and I’d like some assistance.
Do you mind helping me work through it a bit?
All the best,
Joseph Quinn
You can also use something like this in a business plan. It might be a chance for you to discuss your competition and how it will be a hard time for you to compete against them.
So, check out the following example if you want to learn a bit more about it:
We have accounted for the difficulty that will come with cementing ourselves amongst our competitors in this sector.
Struggle (Informal)
You may also use “struggle” as another way to say “hard time.” This time, it’s a bit more informal, which could help you to mix things up.
Generally, you will use something like this to discuss problems with coworkers.
It’s an excellent way to be more friendly and honest about what you’re finding hard in the workplace.
If you’re still unsure how it works, you can check out this email sample:
Hey Mark,
It’s still a struggle for me to understand this.
Therefore, I’m hoping you might be able to offer some insight that’ll get me through it.
Best wishes,
Stephen Tyler
Alternatively, you can use it in a creative novel when someone has a hard time with something. It might be a good choice for a character who doesn’t have strong convictions.
Also, check out this example to learn more about how this can work:
Sam always struggles to say no. It’s both his best and his worst quality, but we love him all the same.
Is It Correct to Say “Hard Time”?
It is correct to say “hard time.”
You can use it in multiple different situations. For instance, it can relate to you having a hard time figuring something out or giving someone a hard time to make their life more challenging.
However, it’s not professional and doesn’t work well in most formal emails.
You can also check out this example to learn more about how to use it:
I’m having a hard time with this situation. Do you think you can explain it to me in a more reasonable way?
Sometimes, you might see the phrase hyphenated. However, we don’t recommend including a hyphen between the two words.
It’s not correct to hyphenate the phrase.
For example:
- Correct: We’re having a hard time understanding you.
- Incorrect: This is going to be a hard-time for both of us.
You can also refer to these extensions to see what works best in your writing:
- Hard time choosing
- Hard time saying no
- Hard time understanding
- Hard time in life
Before you leave, ensure you bookmark this page! Then, you can remind yourself of the best synonyms for “hard time” when you’re trying to mix things up.