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
Many sales enablement and operations teams are learning this the hard way: Without flexibility and deep customization, AI tools become just another source of noise.
—
Mickey Singh, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Leganes’ Oscar Rodriguez learned this the hard way in May, getting bumped off the ball with the sort of front-footed tackle Agoume enjoys.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 30 June 2025
One of Bennett’s clients, Adam Shapiro, learned about local land wars the hard way.
—Andrew Rice, Curbed, 26 June 2025
Unfortunately, many people advocating for places important to their towns and neighborhoods may end up learning the hard way just what the Historic Preservation Fund does.
—Michael R. Allen, The Conversation, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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Mickey Singh, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Leganes’ Oscar Rodriguez learned this the hard way in May, getting bumped off the ball with the sort of front-footed tackle Agoume enjoys.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 30 June 2025
One of Bennett’s clients, Adam Shapiro, learned about local land wars the hard way.
—Andrew Rice, Curbed, 26 June 2025
Unfortunately, many people advocating for places important to their towns and neighborhoods may end up learning the hard way just what the Historic Preservation Fund does.
—Michael R. Allen, The Conversation, 25 June 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 16 Jul. 2025.
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