Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Bold, brave, and able to endure hardship: Describes a person who is courageous and not easily intimidated by danger or difficulty.
   • Robust and capable of surviving tough conditions: Describes a person, animal, or plant that is physically strong and can withstand harsh environments, weather, or situations.
   • (Of a plant) Able to survive outdoors in winter: Specifically used in gardening and botany to describe plants that can tolerate cold temperatures.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The hardy settlers crossed the mountains in search of a new life. (Describing people's courage and endurance.)
  • Camels are famously hardy animals, well-adapted to desert life. (Describing an animal's physical resilience.)
  • This variety of rose is very hardy and will survive the frost. (Describing a plant's tolerance to cold.)

Advanced Usage

• "Hardy annual": A plant that completes its life cycle in one year and can withstand frost, often sown directly outdoors. It can also metaphorically describe a topic that recurs regularly.

  • Sweet peas are a classic hardy annual.
  • The debate about funding has become a hardy annual at these meetings.

• "Hardy perennial": A plant that lives for more than two years and can survive winter outdoors. It can also metaphorically describe an idea or story that reappears frequently.

  • Hostas are reliable hardy perennials for shady spots.
  • That old conspiracy theory is a hardy perennial on the internet.

Variants and Related Words

• Hardihood (noun): Boldness or daring; robustness.
  • The hardihood of the early aviators is astonishing.
• Hardiness (noun): The quality of being hardy; robustness, especially the ability to endure difficult conditions.
  • The hardiness of these alpine plants is remarkable.

Synonyms

• Robust: Strong and healthy; vigorous.
• Sturdy: Strongly and solidly built.
• Resilient: Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.
• Intrepid: Fearless; adventurous.
• Tough: Strong enough to withstand adverse conditions.

Antonyms

• Delicate: Easily broken or damaged; fragile.
• Tender: (Of a plant) easily damaged by cold weather.
• Timid: Showing a lack of courage or confidence.
• Weak: Lacking physical strength.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• (As) hardy as an oak: Extremely robust and resilient.
  • After years of working outdoors, he was as hardy as an oak.
• Hardy stock: Refers to people, animals, or plants known for their strength and resilience.
  • The farmers there are of hardy stock, used to a challenging climate.

Adjective

1. invulnerable to fear or intimidation
   • audacious explorers
   • fearless reporters and photographers
   • intrepid pioneers
2. able to survive under unfavorable weather conditions
   • strawberries are hardy and easy to grow
   • camels are tough and hardy creatures
3. having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
   • hardy explorers of northern Canada
   • proud of her tall stalwart son
   • stout seamen
   • sturdy young athletes

Noun

1. English novelist and poet (1840-1928)
2. United States slapstick comedian who played the pompous and overbearing member of the Laurel and Hardy duo who made many films (1892-1957)