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
Right tackle Colton McKivitz conceded the obvious, while noting the 49ers going through the playoffs the hard way was in keeping with the club’s personality of making things as difficult as possible.
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Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
In 2019, the NBA learned this the hard way when a tweet from then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey regarding Hong Kong led Chinese businesses to freeze out the association for years.
—Adam Minter, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
Other states and cities have learned this lesson the hard way.
—Andrew Rigie, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026
Even professional designers have had to learn the hard way that some types of furniture pieces aren't all they're cracked up to be.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
In 2019, the NBA learned this the hard way when a tweet from then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey regarding Hong Kong led Chinese businesses to freeze out the association for years.
—Adam Minter, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
Other states and cities have learned this lesson the hard way.
—Andrew Rigie, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026
Even professional designers have had to learn the hard way that some types of furniture pieces aren't all they're cracked up to be.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 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 Jan. 2026.
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