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Hardwork or hard work? Hardworking or hard-working? Which one is correct?
In a nutshell, hardwork is not a word. The correct spelling is “hard work.” Hard-working and hardworking are also correct spellings.
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Hard Word Meaning
“Hard work” means that something takes a great deal of effort to do.
It involves a certain degree of difficulty and pain— sometimes exceeding what a person may expect.
Nevertheless, it is often worth doing because it will usually lead to something greater in the end.
Hardwork or Hardwork
Hardwork is not a word. It is not possible to spell it as one word.
Hard is the adjective for “hard work.” Work is an uncountable noun. These cannot combine to create one word.
They must be separated as “hard work.”
What is considered hard work?
Hard work is not only the type of work that requires physical effort. In fact, it also involves mental exertion– a state of mind.
Hard work means different things to different people. It is about the exertion of oneself and one’s mind.
For example, for one person, their day-to-day tasks in an office might be considered hard work to them.
For a worker in a third-world country, the definition could be completely different.
Just as success means different things to different people, so does hard work.
Hard Work in a Sentence
- There is hard work involved in farming.
- I am not used to hard work.
- Hard work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
- It takes hard work to be successful.
- There is a lot of hard work to be done at the office.
- This generation doesn’t like hard work.
- The hard work never ceases.
Hard-Working
Hard-working is the adjective for “hard work.” It is a word that describes someone who puts in the effort and has a good work ethic.
For example, we could say, “The sergeant was hard-working throughout his career.”
Or, as a noun, we could say, “he is a hard worker.”
Hard-Working in a Sentence
Other example sentences with “hard-working:”
- My father is a hard-working man.
- She is a very hard-working woman.
- They are hard-working people.
- I am looking for a hard-working person to hire.
- This company only hires hard-working individuals.
- All the employees here are hard-working.
- I try my best to be a hard-working person.
Hardworking
Hardworking is also the adjective for “hard work.” It is a word that describes someone who puts in the effort and has a good work ethic.
It can be used in precisely the same way as hard-working.
Hardworking in a Sentence
Example sentences with “hardworking:”
- My father is a hardworking man.
- She is a very hardworking woman.
- They are hardworking people.
- I am looking for a hardworking person to hire.
- This company only hires hardworking individuals.
- All the employees here are hardworking.
- I try my best to be a hardworking person.
Is it Hard-Working or Hardworking?
You can spell it either way: hard-working or hardworking.
The Cambridge Dictionary labels hardworking as the US spelling and hard-working as the UK spelling.
As you can see here from Google Ngrams, hard-working is the more popular spelling in the UK, while hardworking is the more popular spelling in the US:
There seems to be rising popularity in using the spelling hardworking, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it outdoes the spelling hard-working in the U.K. over the next few years.
Truthfully, it can be used either way. We can find instances of it spelled as “hardworking” and “hard-working” irrespective of location.
Just be consistent with whatever style you choose. For example, if you choose to write the hyphenated version in your essay, then stick with that throughout.
Here is Grammarly’s take on it:
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What is a better word for hard work?
We could say:
- A difficult task
- Donkeywork
- Burden
- Backbreaking work
- Tough assignment
- Labour
- Endeavor
What is another word for hard-working?
Hardworking synonyms:
- Diligent
- Attentive
- Dedicated
- Hustling
- Busy
- Hard at work
- Persevering
- Conscientious
Opposite of Hard-Working
Lazy is the opposite of hard-working.
Commonly Asked Questions
Other questions related to hard work and hardworking:
Is hardworking one word?
Yes, hardworking can be spelled as one word. It can also be spelled as hard-working.
How much work is hard work?
Everyone is different. What may be hard work to one person might not be hard work to someone else. Your state of mind and whether or not you like the work are key factors here. Hard work takes endurance and effort, and it is down to each individual themselves what they consider hard work.
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In Conclusion
Hard-working and hardworking are adjectives commonly used to describe someone who is putting forth a lot of effort and working hard.
“Hard work” is the correct spelling of the noun, not hardwork.
We are keeping this nice and simple for the hard-working person reading this article! Any questions? Be sure to leave them in the comments below.
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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and founder of TPR Teaching, crafting inspiring pieces that promote the importance of developing new skills. For 7 years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.
The site and your explanations are great,thanks.
Thank you! I appreciate your comment.