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

Szymborska herself learned the value of not knowing the hard way. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

These poor people learned the hard way that I-35 is now a three-lane drag strip, only the obstacles are 18-wheelers, and 70 mph is the floor not the ceiling. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026

And this time, the two nominated broadcast-TV late night talk shows have each earned their position on the ballot the hard way. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026

How many cannabis brands built on the reputation of a single operator have quietly discovered this the hard way? — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Rhymes for the hard way

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway