Strong vs. Hard — What's the Difference?

Having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks

Solid, firm, and rigid; not easily broken, bent, or pierced

Able to withstand force, pressure, or wear

Done with a great deal of force or strength

Very intense

Requiring a great deal of endurance or effort

Used after a number to indicate the size of a group

(of information) reliable, especially because based on something true or substantiated

Denoting a class of verbs in Germanic languages that form the past tense and past participle by a change of vowel within the stem rather than by addition of a suffix (e.g. swim, swam, swum).

Strongly alcoholic; denoting a spirit rather than beer or wine.

Relating to or denoting the strongest of the known kinds of force between particles, which acts between nucleons and other hadrons when closer than about 10⁻¹³ cm (so binding protons in a nucleus despite the repulsion due to their charge), and which conserves strangeness, parity, and isospin.

(of water) containing relatively high concentrations of dissolved calcium and magnesium salts, which make lathering difficult

Physically powerful; capable of exerting great physical force.

(of the penis, clitoris, or nipples) erect.

Marked by great physical power

(of a consonant) pronounced as a velar plosive (as c in cat, g in go).

In good or sound health; robust

With a great deal of effort

Economically or financially sound or thriving

So as to be solid or firm

Having force of character, will, morality, or intelligence

To the fullest extent possible

Having or showing ability or achievement in a specified field

A road leading down across a foreshore.

Capable of the effective exercise of authority

Resistant to pressure; not readily penetrated; firm or solid

Capable of withstanding force or wear; solid, tough, or firm

Well protected from an attack, as by aerial bombardment

Having great binding strength

Requiring great effort or endurance

Not easily captured or defeated

Performed with or marked by great diligence or energy

Not easily upset; resistant to harmful or unpleasant influences

Difficult to resolve, accomplish, or finish

Having force or rapidity of motion

Difficult to understand or impart

Persuasive, effective, and cogent

Proceeding or performing with force, vigor, or persistence; assiduous

Forceful and pointed; emphatic

Intense in force or degree

Forthright and explicit, often offensively so

Inclement or severe

Extreme; drastic

Stern, strict, or demanding

Having force of conviction or feeling; uncompromising

Lacking compassion or sympathy; callous

Intense in degree or quality

Difficult to endure; causing hardship or suffering

Having an intense or offensive effect on the senses

Oppressive or unjust in nature or effect

Clear and loud

Harsh or severe in effect or intention

Readily noticeable; remarkable

Marked by stubborn refusal to compromise or yield; uncompromising

Readily detected or received

Bitter or resentful

Having a high concentration of an essential or active ingredient

Showing disapproval, bitterness, or resentment

Containing a considerable percentage of alcohol

Causing damage or premature wear

Powerfully effective

Bad; adverse

Of or relating to a color having a high degree of saturation.

Real and unassailable

Having a specified number of units or members

Definite; firm

Marked by steady or rising prices

Free from illusion or sentimentality; practical or realistic

Of or relating to those verbs in Germanic languages that form their past tense by a change in stem vowel, and their past participles by a change in stem vowel and sometimes by adding the suffix -(e)n, as sing, sang, sung or tear, tore, torn.

Using or based on data that are readily quantified or verified

Of or relating to the inflection of nouns or adjectives in Germanic languages with endings that historically did not contain a suffix with an n.

Marked by sharp delineation or contrast

Stressed or accented in pronunciation or poetic meter. Used of a word or syllable.

Lacking in shade; undiminished

In a strong, powerful, or vigorous manner; forcefully

Hardcore.

Capable of producing great physical force.

Being a turn in a specific direction at an angle more acute than other possible routes.

Capable of withstanding great physical force.

Metallic, as opposed to paper. Used of currency.

(of water, wind, etc.) Having a lot of power.

Backed by bullion rather than by credit. Used of currency.

Determined; unyielding.

High and stable. Used of prices.

Highly stimulating to the senses.

Durable; lasting

Having an offensive or intense odor or flavor.

Written or printed rather than stored in electronic media

Having a high concentration of an essential or active ingredient.

Erect; tumid. Used of a penis.

(specifically) Having a high alcoholic content.

Having high alcoholic content; intoxicating

(grammar) Inflecting in a different manner than the one called weak, such as Germanic verbs which change vowels.

Rendered alcoholic by fermentation; fermented

(chemistry) That completely ionizes into anions and cations in a solution.

Containing dissolved salts that interfere with the lathering action of soap or other cleansing agents. Used of water.

(military) Not easily subdued or taken.

(Linguistics) Velar, as in c in cake or g in log, as opposed to palatal or soft.

Having wealth or resources.

(Physics) Of relatively high energy; penetrating

Impressive, good.

High in gluten content

Having a specified number of people or units.

(Chemistry) Resistant to biodegradation

(of a disease or symptom) Severe; very bad or intense.

Extremely or dangerously addictive. Used of certain illegal drugs, such as heroin.

Having a wide range of logical consequences; widely applicable. (Often contrasted with a weak statement which it implies.)

With strenuous effort; intently

(of an argument) Convincing.

With great force, vigor, or energy

In a strong manner.

In such a way as to cause great damage or hardship

Having active physical power, or great physical power to act; having a power of exerting great bodily force; vigorous.

With great distress, grief, or bitterness

Having passive physical power; having ability to bear or endure; firm; hale; sound; robust; as, a strong constitution; strong health.

Firmly; securely

Solid; tough; not easily broken or injured; able to withstand violence; able to sustain attacks; not easily subdued or taken; as, a strong beam; a strong rock; a strong fortress or town.

Toward or into a solid condition

Having great military or naval force; powerful; as, a strong army or fleet; a nation strong at sea.

Near in space or time; close

Having great wealth, means, or resources; as, a strong house, or company of merchants.

(Nautical) Completely; fully

Reaching a certain degree or limit in respect to strength or numbers; as, an army ten thousand strong.

(of material or fluid) Having a severe property; presenting difficulty.

Moving with rapidity or force; violent; forcible; impetuous; as, a strong current of water or wind; the wind was strong from the northeast; a strong tide.

Resistant to pressure.

Adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind or imagination; striking or superior of the kind; powerful; forcible; cogent; as, a strong argument; strong reasons; strong evidence; a strong example; strong language.

(of drink or drugs) Strong.

Ardent; eager; zealous; earnestly engaged; as, a strong partisan; a strong Whig or Tory.

(of a normally nonalcoholic drink) Containing alcohol.

Having virtues of great efficacy; or, having a particular quality in a great degree; as, a strong powder or tincture; a strong decoction; strong tea or coffee.

(of water) High in dissolved chemical salts, especially those of calcium.

Full of spirit; containing a large proportion of alcohol; intoxicating; as, strong liquors.

Having the capability of being a permanent magnet by being a material with high magnetic coercivity (compare soft).

Affecting any sense powerfully; as, strong light, colors, etc.; a strong flavor of onions; a strong scent.

Having a high energy (high frequency; short wavelength).

Solid; nourishing; as, strong meat.

Made up of parallel rays, producing clearly defined shadows.

Well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered; as, a strong custom; a strong belief.

(personal or social) Having a severe property; presenting difficulty.

Violent; vehement; earnest; ardent.

Difficult or requiring a lot of effort to do, understand, experience, or deal with.

Having great force, vigor, power, or the like, as the mind, intellect, or any faculty; as, a man of a strong mind, memory, judgment, or imagination.

Demanding a lot of effort to endure.

Vigorous; effective; forcible; powerful.

Severe, harsh, unfriendly, brutal.

Tending to higher prices; rising; as, a strong market.

(dated) Difficult to resist or control; powerful.

Pertaining to, or designating, a verb which forms its preterit (imperfect) by a variation in the root vowel, and the past participle (usually) by the addition of -en (with or without a change of the root vowel); as in the verbs strive, strove, striven; break, broke, broken; drink, drank, drunk. Opposed to weak, or regular. See Weak.

(military) Hardened; having unusually strong defences.

Having strength or power greater than average or expected;

(slang) Tough and muscular.

Used of syllables or musical beats

Unquestionable, unequivocal.

Not faint or feeble;

(of a road intersection) Having a comparatively larger or a ninety-degree angle.

Having or wielding force or authority;

Sexually aroused; having an erect penis.

Having a strong physiological or chemical effect;

(bodybuilding) Having muscles that are tightened as a result of intense, regular exercise.

Able to withstand attack;

Fortis.

Of good quality and condition; solidly built;

Plosive.

Of verbs not having standard (or regular) inflection;

Unvoiced.

Having a high alcoholic content;

(Slavic phonology) Velarized or plain, rather than palatalized.

Freshly made or left;

(arts) Having a severe property; presenting a barrier to enjoyment.

Strong and sure;

Rigid in the drawing or distribution of the figures; formal; lacking grace of composition.

Having disagreeable and abrupt contrasts in colour or shading.

(uncomparable)

In a physical form, not digital.

Using a manual or physical process, not by means of a software command.

(politics) Far, extreme.

Of silk: not having had the natural gum boiled off.

(finance) Of a market: having more demand than supply; being a seller's market.

(manner) With much force or effort.

(manner) With difficulty.

(obsolete) So as to raise difficulties.

(manner) Compactly.

Near, close.

A firm or paved beach or slope convenient for hauling vessels out of the water.

A tyre whose compound is softer than superhards, and harder than mediums.

Crack cocaine.

Hard labor.

Not easily penetrated, cut, or separated into parts; not yielding to pressure; firm; solid; compact; - applied to material bodies, and opposed to soft; as, hard wood; hard flesh; a hard apple.

Difficult, mentally or judicially; not easily apprehended, decided, or resolved; as a hard problem.

Difficult to accomplish; full of obstacles; laborious; fatiguing; arduous; as, a hard task; a disease hard to cure.

Difficult to resist or control; powerful.

Difficult to bear or endure; not easy to put up with or consent to; hence, severe; rigorous; oppressive; distressing; unjust; grasping; as, a hard lot; hard times; hard fare; a hard winter; hard conditions or terms.

Difficult to please or influence; stern; unyielding; obdurate; unsympathetic; unfeeling; cruel; as, a hard master; a hard heart; hard words; a hard character.

Not easy or agreeable to the taste; harsh; stiff; rigid; ungraceful; repelling; as, a hard style.

Rough; acid; sour, as liquors; as, hard cider.

Abrupt or explosive in utterance; not aspirated, sibilated, or pronounced with a gradual change of the organs from one position to another; - said of certain consonants, as c in came, and g in go, as distinguished from the same letters in center, general, etc.

Wanting softness or smoothness of utterance; harsh; as, a hard tone.

Rigid in the drawing or distribution of the figures; formal; lacking grace of composition.

With pressure; with urgency; hence, diligently; earnestly.

With difficulty; as, the vehicle moves hard.

Uneasily; vexatiously; slowly.

So as to raise difficulties.

With tension or strain of the powers; violently; with force; tempestuously; vehemently; vigorously; energetically; as, to press, to blow, to rain hard; hence, rapidly; nimbly; as, to run hard.

Close or near.

To harden; to make hard.

A ford or passage across a river or swamp.

Not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure;

Metaphorically hard;

Not yielding to pressure or easily penetrated;

Very strong or vigorous;

Characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort;

Of speech sounds

Of a drinker or drinking; indulging intemperately;

Having undergone fermentation;

Having a high alcoholic content;

Unfortunate or hard to bear;

Dried out;

With effort or force or vigor;

With firmness;

Earnestly or intently;

Causing great damage or hardship;

Slowly and with difficulty;

Indulging excessively;

Into a solid condition;

Very near or close in space or time;

With pain or distress or bitterness;

To the full extent possible; all the way;