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
Starting a business is a real challenge, and one Generation Z woman found that out the hard way after receiving zero sales on launch day.
—
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
But hasty responses can backfire, with organizations learning the hard way that maintaining trust is far easier than rebuilding it once it’s been lost.
—Lynn Godfrey, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Marvel has learned the hard way what can happen when rushing things.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025
Truckers have a reputation for being tough, and a fleeing murder suspect learned it the hard way when he got shot while trying to carjack an 18-wheeler along Interstate 65, according to investigators in coastal Alabama.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
But hasty responses can backfire, with organizations learning the hard way that maintaining trust is far easier than rebuilding it once it’s been lost.
—Lynn Godfrey, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Marvel has learned the hard way what can happen when rushing things.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025
Truckers have a reputation for being tough, and a fleeing murder suspect learned it the hard way when he got shot while trying to carjack an 18-wheeler along Interstate 65, according to investigators in coastal Alabama.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 21 May 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 1 Jun. 2025.
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