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
Blackberry Smoke is just a kick-ass band that’s been doing it the right way, the honest way, the hard way, the pure way, for a very long time.
—
Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 30 Apr. 2025
Cities across America are learning this lesson the hard way as hospitals shutter and communities lose access to vital care.
—Carlo Scissura, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025
Because of the tendency to mistake the latter for the former, plenty of folks with IC/BPS learn this the hard way, by taking a few rounds of these meds to no avail.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 16 Apr. 2025
Comments Talk about learning a lesson the hard way.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 30 Apr. 2025
Cities across America are learning this lesson the hard way as hospitals shutter and communities lose access to vital care.
—Carlo Scissura, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025
Because of the tendency to mistake the latter for the former, plenty of folks with IC/BPS learn this the hard way, by taking a few rounds of these meds to no avail.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 16 Apr. 2025
Comments Talk about learning a lesson the hard way.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 15 Apr. 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 12 May. 2025.
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