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
Below, Forbes Coaches Council members share key aspects of EQ that new leaders often end up learning the hard way, and how to get them right sooner.
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Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
And yet, to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, the misfortune of others cannot be the driving force behind a push to get out of the play-in bracket in the East after three consecutive seasons of doing the postseason the hard way.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2025
How many of us have learned a lesson the hard way when we’ve been cited by a speed or red-light camera?
—Steve Cohen, New York Daily News, 13 July 2025
An Irish man visiting the United States learned the hard way that some things can easily get lost in translation.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the hard way
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Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
And yet, to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, the misfortune of others cannot be the driving force behind a push to get out of the play-in bracket in the East after three consecutive seasons of doing the postseason the hard way.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2025
How many of us have learned a lesson the hard way when we’ve been cited by a speed or red-light camera?
—Steve Cohen, New York Daily News, 13 July 2025
An Irish man visiting the United States learned the hard way that some things can easily get lost in translation.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 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 19 Jul. 2025.
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