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
Even Elon Musk is learning this lesson the hard way with Grok.
—
Barry Libert, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
But the family learned the hard way that accidents happen, and Twix's appointment came about 10 days too late.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025
Some of us have learned the hard way how much a suitcase's quality really matters.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 28 July 2025
Young players inevitably learn this lesson the hard way, either by getting caught with their foot on the sideline on the catch or by taking a negative step out of bounds to start a drive.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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Barry Libert, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
But the family learned the hard way that accidents happen, and Twix's appointment came about 10 days too late.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025
Some of us have learned the hard way how much a suitcase's quality really matters.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 28 July 2025
Young players inevitably learn this lesson the hard way, either by getting caught with their foot on the sideline on the catch or by taking a negative step out of bounds to start a drive.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 July 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 5 Aug. 2025.
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