hard knocks

plural noun

: rough, unsparing treatment (as in use or in life)

Commercial-strength squares—baked clay, ceramic, vinyl or rubber stand up to hard knocks at home.

—Apartment Life

especially : difficult or painful experiences or circumstances

This is a testimonial, above all, of hard knocks, from a mother's absence and a family's sacrifice to care for his older, tubercular brother to the betrayal by White House patrons and staff.

—Roger Morris

—often used in the phrase school of hard knocks

Romances with men are the curriculum you'll need to determine what's right for you and what isn't. I'd prefer if you'd learn quickly and easily, rather than at the school of hard knocks.

—Dave Singleton

Examples of hard knocks in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Raised in the school of hard knocks, Anderson was a passionate advocate for disadvantaged young Australians, his work recognized with Anderson made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1993 for services to the community. — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2026

Time will tell whether a future article will describe Warsh learning his own behavioral economics lessons at the school of hard knocks. — Hersh Shefrin, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Brunson, already a postseason hero, took several hard knocks throughout the night, including a minor ankle tweak after colliding with Luke Kornet. — Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026

News cycles this year have been a relentless parade of hard knocks, and April has been no exception. — Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1758, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hard knocks

• botox
• checkbox
• comox
• cornstalks
• cowpox
• crosswalks
• deadlocks
• detox
• feedstocks
• gearbox
• hemlocks
• icebox