as in perplexed
faced with difficulty or uncertainty about what to say, think, or do
they will be hard-pressed to come up with any facts that actually support their argument
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Recent Examples of hard-pressed
Bell High’s baseball team will be hard-pressed to top last season’s historic achievement winning the school’s first City Section Open Division championship at Dodger Stadium after not being in an upper division final since 1953.
—
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
But if the House can squeeze its plan through incredibly tight margins, the Senate will be hard-pressed to refuse it.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
The Compton, California, native and Pulitzer prize-winning rapper was the headline performer at Super Bowl 59, with special guest SZA, and his performance included plenty of references that some non-rap fans may be hard-pressed to figure out, including his 2024 feud with Drake.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
Any honest Marylander would be hard-pressed to describe Hogan as being anything other than fiscally prudent.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-pressed
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
But if the House can squeeze its plan through incredibly tight margins, the Senate will be hard-pressed to refuse it.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
The Compton, California, native and Pulitzer prize-winning rapper was the headline performer at Super Bowl 59, with special guest SZA, and his performance included plenty of references that some non-rap fans may be hard-pressed to figure out, including his 2024 feud with Drake.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
Any honest Marylander would be hard-pressed to describe Hogan as being anything other than fiscally prudent.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-pressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-pressed
Adjective
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In the wooded outskirts of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a perplexed landlord noticed odd sights at two of his rental properties.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Feb. 2025
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People are still perplexed and saddened by the questionable move on the Mavericks' side, especially their majority owner, Mark Cuban.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Surrounding the headliners are grumpy arena security, who spend the night wearing baffled expressions watching a sea of adults cheer and laugh and applaud over imaginary characters engaged in battles no one can actually see, and rolls of acrylic dice just 16 millimeters in size.—
Eric Francisco,
Rolling Stone,
1 Mar. 2025
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Now, a development that once baffled educators and administrators is ready to go mainstream.—
Lexi Lonas Cochran,
The Hill,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Alani, a French journalist, paints a haunting picture of modern Iraq through the eyes of its bewildered children.—
Lisa Anderson,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
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The snap captures Bailey a bewildered expression on her face.—
Mark Joseph,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Listen to this article The UConn men’s basketball team was embarrassed by Seton Hall at its place last season, and when the Pirates made the return trip to Gampel Pavilion, UConn got its revenge and blew them out by 30.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2025
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Ho grew up embarrassed by her parents’ boasting of their collection to guests but would come to embrace it later.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard-pressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-pressed. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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