hard·ly 
/ˈhɑɚdli/ adverb
/ˈhɑɚdli/ adverb 1 a : barely, scarcely — used to say that something was almost not possible or almost did not happen ▪ She could hardly bear to look at him. ▪ I could hardly believe my eyes. [=it was difficult to believe what I was seeing] ▪ I can hardly believe it! ▪ She was hardly able to control her excitement.
b : almost not at all
▪ We hardly knew them. ▪ It hardly matters what I think. ▪ The changes in service have hardly been noticed.
c : almost not
▪ There are hardly any new features in this software. ▪ Hardly anyone showed up for the meeting. ▪ Hardly a day goes by when I don't think about you.
d — used to say that something reached a specifed condition or happened only a short time before ▪ I had hardly [=barely] arrived when the telephone rang. 2 : certainly not
▪ The news is hardly surprising. = The news is hardly a surprise. [=the news is not surprising at all] ▪ This is hardly a new idea for a movie. ▪ “Is this a new idea for a movie?” “Hardly! I've seen dozens of movies just like it.”
b : almost not at all
▪ We hardly knew them. ▪ It hardly matters what I think. ▪ The changes in service have hardly been noticed.
c : almost not
▪ There are hardly any new features in this software. ▪ Hardly anyone showed up for the meeting. ▪ Hardly a day goes by when I don't think about you.
d — used to say that something reached a specifed condition or happened only a short time before ▪ I had hardly [=barely] arrived when the telephone rang.
▪ The news is hardly surprising. = The news is hardly a surprise. [=the news is not surprising at all] ▪ This is hardly a new idea for a movie. ▪ “Is this a new idea for a movie?” “Hardly! I've seen dozens of movies just like it.”
hardly ever — see ever
