hard-earned

adjective

: achieved or acquired through a lot of effort or hard work

Someone stole all her hard-earned money.

a hard-earned victory

Examples of hard-earned in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Their sense of whimsy and their ability to realize it in metal and stone has been hard-earned through consistent effort, decade after decade—which isn’t an entirely inaccurate definition of the horological arts. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024

Everything feels new and hard-earned and deliberate—and fun. —Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2024

The sentiment that honesty is the best policy is hard-earned for these characters, and is good advice for viewers on the dating circuit who are trying to land a partner for a night — or forever. —Courtney Howard, Variety, 14 Feb. 2024

But the unimaginative offense and a line that struggled to run-block conspired to make sure that so many of Stevenson’s yards were hard-earned. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Aug. 2023

Only money hard-earned as a fledgling lawyer can save them all. —David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2023

For the Coles, their current winning streak was hard-earned. —Kara Warner, Peoplemag, 21 July 2023

In addition, Eli Smith, Slim Williams, and the rest sealed their narrative with a triumph, however hard-earned. —David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 9 July 2023

The recognition feels especially hard-earned for the 20 performers who are nominated in the four Tony Awards featured, or supporting acting, categories in part because the competition for those slots is more intense. —Peter Marks, Washington Post, 2 June 2023