View synonyms for hard of hearing

hard of hearing

or hard-of-hear·ing

[ hahrd-uhv-heer-ing ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

having reduced or deficient hearing ability; having mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss:
We provide amplified phones for those who are hard of hearing so that they can communicate with friends and family.

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

people who have reduced or deficient hearing ability:
Besides being an aid for the hard of hearing, subtitles improve comprehension for viewers learning a different language.

hard of hearing

adjective

1. deaf or partly deaf
2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )
  the hard of hearing

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Usage

See elderly

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Word History and Origins

Origin of hard of hearing¹

First recorded in 1555–65

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Idioms and Phrases

Somewhat deaf, having a partial loss of hearing. For example, You'll have to speak distinctly; Dad's a little hard of hearing . The use of hard in the sense of “difficulty in doing something” survives only in this expression. [Mid-1500s]

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Example Sentences

The aim of the method is to graduate its pupils as hard-of-hearing speaking people, instead of deaf-mutes.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

hard nut to crack hard-on

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