noun
The definition of hardship is adversity, or something difficult or unpleasant that you must endure or overcome.
An example of hardship is when you are too poor to afford proper food or shelter and you must try to endure the hard times and deprivation.
hardship

- hard circumstances of life
- a thing hard to bear; specific cause of discomfort or suffering, as poverty, pain, etc.
Origin of hardship
Middle English heardschipe: see hard and -shiphardship

noun
- The condition of lacking necessities or comforts; privation or suffering.
- A thing or circumstance that causes ongoing or persistent suffering or difficulty: “Hives are a great hardship, but they will not injure your vital organs” ( Andrew Weil ) See Synonyms at difficulty.
hardship

Noun
(plural hardships)
- (countable or uncountable) Difficulty or trouble; hard times.
- He has survived periods of financial hardship before.
Origin
From Middle English herdschipe, hardischipe, equivalent to hard + -ship.
hardship - Legal Definition

n
The difficulty or distress
resulting to an individual or entity from a court decision, zoning decision, or
passage of a law; taken into account as one factor in an equity proceeding.