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
Stamford Public Schools found this out the hard way.
—
Grace Chung, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2025
Just ask Bryson DeChambeau, who learned this lesson the hard way.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Jesse Tyler Ferguson learned the hard way that going method can go very wrong.
—Mekishana Pierre Published, EW.com, 13 May 2025
Someone found that out the hard way Saturday night.
—Madeleine Marr, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 2025
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.
Grace Chung, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2025
Just ask Bryson DeChambeau, who learned this lesson the hard way.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Jesse Tyler Ferguson learned the hard way that going method can go very wrong.
—Mekishana Pierre Published, EW.com, 13 May 2025
Someone found that out the hard way Saturday night.
—Madeleine Marr, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 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 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share