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
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos learned the hard way that age is not just a number.
—
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Sometimes people have to learn these life lessons the hard way, and Kate is no exception.
—Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 21 Mar. 2026
The Tampa businessman warns that beyond its politics, the lack of legal and property rights, regulatory constraints and crumbling infrastructure have led many a foreign investor in Cuba, over the past decades, to learn the lesson the hard way.
—Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
So far, the e-commerce giant has learned the hard way that getting people to theaters isn’t as easy as selling them paper products.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Sometimes people have to learn these life lessons the hard way, and Kate is no exception.
—Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 21 Mar. 2026
The Tampa businessman warns that beyond its politics, the lack of legal and property rights, regulatory constraints and crumbling infrastructure have led many a foreign investor in Cuba, over the past decades, to learn the lesson the hard way.
—Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
So far, the e-commerce giant has learned the hard way that getting people to theaters isn’t as easy as selling them paper products.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 17 Mar. 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 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
