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

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Indeed, many movies have learned the hard way that quality isn’t enough to bring people in the door. —

Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 29 Oct. 2024 The league has caught up, and the Bulls reminded them the hard way that going through the motions won’t be enough. —

Brian Sampson, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 The Mets have done it the hard way all year, digging themselves a hole by starting the season 0-5 and falling to 11 games under .500 at one point. —

Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2024 The party is experiencing what Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, and Jimmy Carter found out the hard way: foreign policy is an area fraught with political risk, where unresolved conflicts and unexpected crises can do major harm to campaigns. —

Jeffrey A. Friedman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for the hard way

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“The hard way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20hard%20way. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

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