hardy
adjective
har·dy ˈhär-dē 
hardier; hardiest
1
: bold, brave
a hardy intrepid spirit
2
: audacious, brazen
3
a
: accustomed to dealing with fatigue or hardships : robust
The soldiers were strong and hardy.
b
: capable of withstanding adverse conditions
hardy outdoor furniture
hardy plants
hardy cattle
hardily
ˈhär-dᵊl-ē
adverb hardiness
ˈhär-dē-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- cast-iron
- hard
- hard-bitten
- hardened
- inured
- rugged
- stout
- strong
- sturdy
- tough
- toughened
- vigorous
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Most of the soldiers were hardy young men. Hardy fans stuck with the team through good times and bad. Only the hardiest pilgrims made the journey.
Recent Examples on the Web This is an excellent time to plant cold-hardy vegetables such as carrots, brassicas and various leafy greens for fall, winter and early spring harvest. 
oregonlive, 4 Sep. 2022 Star magnolias, which grow in zones 3 to 10, are the most cold-hardy and often more shrub-like. Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 15 Aug. 2022 The darker the color, the more cold-hardy the stem tends to be. Bryce Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2022 Scientists say the hardy trees are also helping restore the planet, soaking up and storing away carbon dioxide, encouraging biodiversity and staying one step ahead of climate change. Barry Neild, CNN, 4 Aug. 2022 For cold climates: Minnautumn is an extremely cold-hardy mum. The Editors, Good Housekeeping, 9 July 2022 Dense branches, dazzling deep purplish flowers in spring, and tiny fruit make the cold-hardy crabapple a favorite as an accent tree or planted in a row. Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 26 May 2022 Crops of cold-hardy barley have thrived on the Tibetan Plateau for thousands of years, and the grain has long been a staple of high-altitude diets there. Jen Rose Smith, CNN, 4 May 2022 For example, barley is a cold-hardy species that can start sprouting at temperatures as low as 32 F, but the speed of its growth nonetheless depends on warmth. Nancy Fresco, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2022 See More
oregonlive, 4 Sep. 2022 Star magnolias, which grow in zones 3 to 10, are the most cold-hardy and often more shrub-like. Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 15 Aug. 2022 The darker the color, the more cold-hardy the stem tends to be. Bryce Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2022 Scientists say the hardy trees are also helping restore the planet, soaking up and storing away carbon dioxide, encouraging biodiversity and staying one step ahead of climate change. Barry Neild, CNN, 4 Aug. 2022 For cold climates: Minnautumn is an extremely cold-hardy mum. The Editors, Good Housekeeping, 9 July 2022 Dense branches, dazzling deep purplish flowers in spring, and tiny fruit make the cold-hardy crabapple a favorite as an accent tree or planted in a row. Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 26 May 2022 Crops of cold-hardy barley have thrived on the Tibetan Plateau for thousands of years, and the grain has long been a staple of high-altitude diets there. Jen Rose Smith, CNN, 4 May 2022 For example, barley is a cold-hardy species that can start sprouting at temperatures as low as 32 F, but the speed of its growth nonetheless depends on warmth. Nancy Fresco, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English hardi, from Anglo-French, from Old French *hardir to make hard, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English heard hard
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing hardy
Kids Definition
hardy
adjective
har·dy ˈhär-dē
hardier; hardiest
1
: able to withstand weariness, hardship, or severe weather
2
: bold sense 1, brave
hardy heroes
Biographical Definition
Hardy 1 of 2
biographical name (1)
Har·dy ˈhär-dē
Oliver 1892–1957 originally Norvell Hardy American comic actor
Hardy
2 of 2biographical name (2)
Thomas 1840–1928 English novelist and poet
Hardyesque
ˌhär-dē-ˈesk
adjective hardy
adjective
1
as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure chrysanthemums are hardy enough to survive a light frost the settlers of the Old West were a hardy lot Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sturdy
- strong
- rugged
- tough
- stout
- vigorous
- hardened
- durable
- toughened
- healthy
- robust
- hard
- inured
- resilient
- hard-bitten
- tenacious
- thriving
- stalwart
- stable
- staunch
- permanent
- enduring
- hale
- leathery
- cast-iron
- virile
- immortal
- prospering
- flinty
- lasting
- muscular
- everlasting
- brawny
- unyielding
- flourishing
- fortified
- imperishable
- lusty
- tempered
- staying
- husky
- seasoned
- stanch
- fit
- strapping
- able-bodied
- red-blooded
- sound
- annealed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- weak
- soft
- delicate
- tender
- worn
- enfeebled
- fragile
- weakened
- diseased
- infirm
- susceptible
- exhausted
- vulnerable
- frail
- nonhardy
- sensitive
- emasculated
- debilitated
- puny
- crippled
- wasted
- unsound
- incapacitated
- enervated
- temporary
- transient
- sapped
- worn-out
- perishable
- mortal
- yielding
- unresistant
- resistless
- run-down
2
as in adventurous
inclined or willing to take risks hardy souls who pioneered new paths into outer space Synonyms & Similar Words
- adventurous
- brave
- courageous
- fearless
- daring
- bold
- venturous
- gutsy
- nerved
- enterprising
- venturesome
- adventuresome
- gallant
- dashing
- valiant
- audacious
- emboldened
- heroic
- reckless
- nervy
- intrepid
- impulsive
- foolish
- heroical
- dauntless
- foolhardy
- undaunted
- valorous
- wild
- stupid
- stalwart
- plucky
- stouthearted
- free-swinging
- spirited
- lionhearted
- unafraid
- impetuous
- stout
- daredevil
- spunky
- dumb
- thoughtless
- hotheaded
- silly
- imprudent
- brash
- overconfident
- rash
- heedless
- swashbuckling
- incautious
- madcap
- gritty
- overbold
- mad
- nutty
- brainless
- hasty
- unreasonable
- lunatic
- insane
- idiotic
- wacky
- crazy
- witless
- moronic
- scatterbrained
- absurd
- asinine
- unnecessary
- irrational
- precipitate
- headlong
- balmy
- whacky
- greathearted
- harebrained
- gadarene
- idiotical
- half-witted
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- timid
- timorous
- cowardly
- unadventurous
- pusillanimous
- cautious
- careful
- craven
- coward
- milky
- wary
- prudent
- shy
- afraid
- lily-livered
- frightened
- heedful
- fearful
- chickenhearted
- wise
- overcautious
- sane
- unenterprising
- sensible
- reasonable
- fainthearted
- terrified
- startled
- cool
- scared
- calm
- alarmed
- poltroon
- spooked
- milk-livered
- levelheaded
- rational
- overcareful
- sage
- unnerved
- shocked
- sound
- affrighted
- horrified
- terrorized
- worried
- upset
- concerned
- dismayed
- appalled