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
Julian, like so many before him, learns this the hard way.
—
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Musk has learned the hard way that making cars is a brutal business.
—Patrick George, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
Beware, this gauze is a tad delicate, as Alpert learned the hard way after her cat caused a few snags from their untrimmed claws.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
Yet Tehran has learned the hard way that any alliance with Russia has clear limits.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Musk has learned the hard way that making cars is a brutal business.
—Patrick George, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
Beware, this gauze is a tad delicate, as Alpert learned the hard way after her cat caused a few snags from their untrimmed claws.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
Yet Tehran has learned the hard way that any alliance with Russia has clear limits.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 2025.
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