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

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Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore found that out the hard way. — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2026 Americans would be wise to learn the lessons of history and from the failures of other nations rather than insisting on learning the same lessons the hard way. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 21 Oct. 2026 Companies had to learn the hard way that merchandising skills that meet consumer needs are more important than a website. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026 One flat tire after another, an Atlanta man kept finding nails and screws the hard way. — Emily McLeod, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the hard way

Rhymes for the hard way

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Browse Nearby Words

the hard stuff
the hard way
the have-nots
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Cite this Entry

“The hard way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20hard%20way. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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