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
Visiting American sports fans have long learned the hard way that dressing the statue with colorful jerseys, scarfs, hats, anything found in your local Rally House, has only meant that team would suffer a knockout blow at the home of the local Philly team.
—
CBS News, 18 June 2026
Stephen Baldwin learned the hard way that comedy isn't all fun and games.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Visiting American sports fans have long learned the hard way that dressing the statue with colorful jerseys, scarfs, hats — anything found at your local Rally House — has only meant that team would suffer a knockout blow at the home of the local Philly team.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026
But Gaudette did things the hard way, putting together scenes that can last 30 seconds or longer, which means an astonishingly high number of generations until the model gets it right.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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CBS News, 18 June 2026
Stephen Baldwin learned the hard way that comedy isn't all fun and games.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Visiting American sports fans have long learned the hard way that dressing the statue with colorful jerseys, scarfs, hats — anything found at your local Rally House — has only meant that team would suffer a knockout blow at the home of the local Philly team.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026
But Gaudette did things the hard way, putting together scenes that can last 30 seconds or longer, which means an astonishingly high number of generations until the model gets it right.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
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 23 Jun. 2026.
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