hard knocks

plural noun

: rough, unsparing treatment (as in use or in life)

Commercial-strength squares—baked clay, ceramic, vinyl or rubber stand up to hard knocks at home.

—Apartment Life

especially : difficult or painful experiences or circumstances

This is a testimonial, above all, of hard knocks, from a mother's absence and a family's sacrifice to care for his older, tubercular brother to the betrayal by White House patrons and staff.

—Roger Morris

—often used in the phrase school of hard knocks

Romances with men are the curriculum you'll need to determine what's right for you and what isn't. I'd prefer if you'd learn quickly and easily, rather than at the school of hard knocks.

—Dave Singleton

Examples of hard knocks in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The transition from Montgomery to Swift is part of the roster construction designed for long-term success, with a younger core built to win as rookie quarterback Caleb Williams learns through hard knocks. —Phil Rogers, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

The movie is an ode to all the guys—and, ostensibly, women, though there are no obvious stuntwomen in the film—who take hard knocks to make stuff look real on film. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 1 May 2024

The hard knocks of family life as a child, and betrayal by the Royal Navy, had shattered any dreams Avery once cherished. —Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024

Raised in Cumberland, Maine, the 21-year-old college student has spent time in the school of hard knocks. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1758, in the meaning defined above