hard yards
Difficult slow advancement
Hard yards are the difficult, unglamorous effort required to achieve something—work that demands persistence without immediate reward.
The phrase comes from rugby and Australian rules football, where gaining yards through heavy defensive resistance requires grinding determination rather than flashy plays.
She put in the hard yards early in her career and now she's reaping the benefits.
There's no shortcut—you have to do the hard yards.
- roadworkStreet repair activities
- painBodily or emotional distress
- pushForce something away
- dig deepAccess hidden reserves
- gritDetermination or abrasive particles
effort · perseverance · the long haul · mountain · drag · yardwork · grind · accomplishment · resilience · uphill battle · toil · milestone · breakthrough · trudge · tough slog · determination · challenge · triumph
hard yardseasy street
State of financial security
smooth sailing · cakewalk · piece of cake · walk in the park · breeze
hard yardsglory
Exalted honor and praise
victory lap · finish line · payoff · harvest · home stretch
hard, yard, harder, hardest, harden, hardened, hardening, hardness, hardly