Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Experiencing great difficulty or pressure, especially of a financial nature: The term "hard-pressed" describes a state of being under severe strain, often due to a lack of resources, time, or money. It implies being in a tight spot where meeting demands or obligations is challenging.

Usage

• The adjective "hard-pressed" is typically used before a noun (attributive position) or after a linking verb like "be" or "feel" (predicative position). It is often modified by adverbs like "financially" to specify the nature of the pressure.
• It describes a person, group, or entity facing significant challenges.

Examples

• Attributive use (before a noun):
  • Financially hard-pressed families are cutting back on non-essential spending.
  • The hard-pressed manager had to deal with the crisis alone.
• Predicative use (after a linking verb):
  • Many local businesses are hard-pressed to pay their rent this month.
  • She felt hard-pressed to finish the report by the deadline.

Advanced Usage

• "Hard-pressed to do something": This common construction emphasizes the difficulty in accomplishing a specific action. It suggests it would be very difficult or nearly impossible.
  • You would be hard-pressed to find a better solution. (It would be very difficult to find a better one.)
  • I'd be hard-pressed to name all the capitals of Europe. (I would find it extremely difficult.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hard put (adjective): A near-synonymous phrase, often used in the construction "hard put to do something."
  • We were hard put to meet the mortgage payment.
• Hard-pressed is a compound adjective formed from the adverb "hard" and the past participle "pressed."

Synonyms

• Hard put: In a difficult position.
• In a tight spot / corner: In a difficult situation.
• Strapped (for cash): Lacking money, financially pressed.
• Under pressure: Experiencing stress or demands.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To be pressed for time/money": To have very little time or money available.
  • I'm pressed for time, so I'll make it quick.
• While not a phrasal verb, the adjective "hard-pressed" itself functions as a fixed phrase describing a state of difficulty.

Adjective

1. facing or experiencing financial trouble or difficulty
   • distressed companies need loans and technical advice
   • financially hard-pressed Mexican hotels are lowering their prices
   • we were hard put to meet the mortgage payment
   • found themselves in a bad way financially