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
The Current learned that the hard way in Sunday’s NWSL quarterfinal match at CPKC Stadium.
—
Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 9 Nov. 2025
But life isn’t perfect, as Stevie, Elliot, and the rest of us all eventually have to learn the hard way.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Finding leverage That fiber shedding isn’t a problem one company, no matter how large, can solve alone is something that Gudrun Messias, director of global sustainability direction at Adidas, learned the hard way.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 7 Nov. 2025
Now, the Democratic Party has learned that lesson the hard way.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 9 Nov. 2025
But life isn’t perfect, as Stevie, Elliot, and the rest of us all eventually have to learn the hard way.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Finding leverage That fiber shedding isn’t a problem one company, no matter how large, can solve alone is something that Gudrun Messias, director of global sustainability direction at Adidas, learned the hard way.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 7 Nov. 2025
Now, the Democratic Party has learned that lesson the hard way.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 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 16 Nov. 2025.
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