hardscrabble

hardscrabble /ˈhɑɚdˌskræbəl/ adjective
hardscrabble
/ˈhɑɚdˌskræbəl/
adjective
Britannica Dictionary definition of HARDSCRABBLE
[more hardscrabble; most hardscrabble] US
1 
: having poor soil
2 
: having harsh and difficult conditions because of poverty