Hard done by Meaning in English
expression
ˈhɑɹd/ /ˈdən/ /ˈbaɪ
HARD-dun-BY
hˈɑːd/ /dˈʌn/ /bˈaɪ
HAHD-DUN-BY
Definition
If someone feels 'hard done by', they feel they have been treated unfairly or badly compared to others.
Usage & Nuances
Primarily informal and British English; often describes feelings about unfair situations, not legal matters. Usually used with 'feel' or 'be', like 'feel hard done by.' Not about physical hardship, but about unfair treatment or feeling wronged.
Spanish: maltratado - tratado injustamentePortuguese (BR): injustiçado - prejudicadoPortuguese (PT): injustiçado - prejudicadoChinese (Simplified): 被不公平对待 - 受委屈Chinese (Traditional): 被不公平對待 - 受委屈Hindi: अन्याय किया गया - गलत व्यवहार किया गयाArabic: تعرض لسوء معاملة - ظُلمBengali: অবিচার করা হয়েছে - অন্যায়ভাবে আচরণ করা হয়েছেRussian: несправедливо обошлись - чувствовать себя обиженнымJapanese: 不当な扱いを受ける - 不公平だと感じるVietnamese: bị đối xử bất côngKorean: 부당하게 대우받다 - 억울하다Turkish: haksızlığa uğramış hissetmekUrdu: ناانصافی کا شکار ہونا - زیادتی محسوس کرناIndonesian: merasa diperlakukan tidak adil
Example Sentences
She felt hard done by when they ignored her ideas.
basic
Many people feel hard done by after losing their jobs.
basic
He thought he was hard done by at school.
basic
Stop acting like you’re so hard done by—everyone has bad days.
natural
It’s easy to feel hard done by when things don’t go your way.
natural
Sometimes, people just want someone to listen when they’re feeling hard done by.
natural