hard-pressed
Barely managing it
Hard-pressed means under severe pressure or strain, struggling to accomplish something.
Someone hard-pressed for time barely has enough.
A hard-pressed army faces overwhelming opposition.
The word often appears with an infinitive: You'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal.
Also spelled hard pressed.
Under uncomfortable tension
- stretchedPulled to lengthen
- taxedHad levy imposed
- burdenedCarrying a heavy load
- overwhelmedDefeated by sheer volume
scrambling · floundering · grappling · straining · toiling · laboring · slogging · fighting
Pressured into compliance
- compelledMade to act
- obligedBound to comply
- harassedPersistently tormented
- houndedPersistently pursued or pressured
besieged · driven · pushed · squeezed · leaned on · strong-armed · badgered · browbeaten
Extremely serious or urgent
- criticalExpressing disapproval or importance
- franticWildly anxious or desperate
- last-ditchFinal desperate attempt
- do-or-dieDesperately crucial situation
dire straits · perilous · crisis · emergency · plight · against the wall · cornered · backed into a corner
Obstructed or restricted
- hinderedSlowed or obstructed
- impededObstructed or slowed
- obstructedBlocked from proceeding
- thwartedPrevented from succeeding
stymied · handicapped · constrained · restricted · limited · difficult · tough · demanding
strained
Under uncomfortable tension
overwhelmed · scrambling · floundering · grappling · straining · toiling · laboring · slogging · fighting · surviving
coerced
Pressured into compliance
hounded · besieged · driven · pushed · squeezed · leaned on · strong-armed · badgered · browbeaten · railroaded
dire
Extremely serious or urgent
- criticalExpressing disapproval or importance
- franticWildly anxious or desperate
- last-ditchFinal desperate attempt
do-or-die · dire straits · perilous · crisis · emergency · plight · against the wall · cornered · backed into a corner · grasping at straws
hampered
Obstructed or restricted
- hinderedSlowed or obstructed
- impededObstructed or slowed
- obstructedBlocked from proceeding
thwarted · stymied · handicapped · constrained · restricted · limited · difficult · tough · demanding · arduous
hard-pressedcomfortable
Physically at ease
at ease · well-placed · unburdened · relaxed · unstressed
hard-pressedflush
Same suit, five cards
well-off · affluent · well-equipped · abundant · loaded
hard-pressedrelaxed
Free of stress
unstressed · unpressured · carefree · laid-back · at leisure
hard, pressing, depressed, pressed, hardship, impressed, hardware, expressed, hardness