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
Contrary to her grandfather Elvis’ lyrics, Riley Keough learned the hard way that landing in the jailhouse does not, in fact, rock.
—
EW.com, 15 Jan. 2025
The approval of 22 of the remaining 29 owners is not exactly a rubber stamp, as former player agent Jeff Moorad learned the hard way when his five-year plan to buy the Padres crumbled after the January 2012 quarterly meeting, leading Moores to search for a new buyer.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025
Things to know and watch out for Many property owners hit with large and total losses learn the hard way that they are not fully insured.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2025
Bombardier learned the hard way that challenging the two behemoths with a very good airplane (the C-Series) ended with Airbus buying the program for a song after years of moribund sales forcing Bombardier to exit the commercial transport aircraft business.
—Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the hard way 
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EW.com, 15 Jan. 2025
The approval of 22 of the remaining 29 owners is not exactly a rubber stamp, as former player agent Jeff Moorad learned the hard way when his five-year plan to buy the Padres crumbled after the January 2012 quarterly meeting, leading Moores to search for a new buyer.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025
Things to know and watch out for Many property owners hit with large and total losses learn the hard way that they are not fully insured.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2025
Bombardier learned the hard way that challenging the two behemoths with a very good airplane (the C-Series) ended with Airbus buying the program for a song after years of moribund sales forcing Bombardier to exit the commercial transport aircraft business.
—Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the hard way
Dictionary Entries Near 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 21 Jan. 2025.
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