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a hard truth
/ə hɑːrd truːθ/
unpleasant fact
She finally accepted the hard truth that she had failed the exam.
She realized the unpleasant fact that she failed the exam.
informal
A fact that is difficult to accept because it is unpleasant or uncomfortable.
The hard truth is that the company will have to lay off staff next quarter.
The uncomfortable fact is that the company will need to cut jobs next quarter.
Often used when confronting someone with reality they may not want to hear.
Collocations
hard truth ofthe difficult reality concerninghard truth aboutthe unpleasant fact concerning
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Word Origin
From Old English *heard* ‘difficult, severe’ and *truþ* ‘faith, truth’. The phrase emerged in Middle English to describe truths that are hard to bear.
Usage Notes
Common in both spoken and written English, especially when delivering criticism or unwelcome news.
English Dictionary