the hard way
noun
: in a way that involves difficult or painful experiences
He found out the hard way that crime doesn't pay.
She insisted on doing things the hard way.
Examples of the hard way in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Simonett learned this the hard way when her family applied for their third year in a row and was not accepted.
—
Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
That’s something Buffs fans have been learning the hard way.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 26 Nov. 2025
Willa will have to learn the hard way that her parents’ humanity is as fraught and dynamic as her own.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
Some companies are learning the hard way that replacing humans outright can backfire.
—Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
That’s something Buffs fans have been learning the hard way.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 26 Nov. 2025
Willa will have to learn the hard way that her parents’ humanity is as fraught and dynamic as her own.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
Some companies are learning the hard way that replacing humans outright can backfire.
—Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
Cite this Entry
“The hard way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20hard%20way. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
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