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

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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 Alpert learned the hard way after her cat gave it a few snags from their untrimmed claws. — Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 6 July 2026 The patience and resilience of both teams will be tested to the limit today, and the winner will have to earn their place in the Round of 16 the hard way. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for the hard way

Rhymes for the hard way

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Browse Nearby Words

the hard stuff
the hard way
the have-nots
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Cite this Entry

“The hard way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20hard%20way. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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