Meaning & use
hard row to hoe
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Meaning
phraseidiomfigurative
A difficult task or situation that requires a lot of effort over time.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase, often after 'a' or 'the': It's a hard row to hoe. Not used as a verb.
Patterns
- a hard row to hoe
- have a hard row to hoe
- it is a hard row to hoe
Starting a business in this economy is a hard row to hoe.
After the injury, she had a hard row to hoe to get back in shape.
Learning a new language as an adult can be a hard row to hoe, but it is possible.
Common combinations
- a hard row to hoe
- Raising three children alone is a hard row to hoe.
- have a hard row to hoe
- They have a hard row to hoe if they want to win.
- a long row to hoe
- The project is a long row to hoe, but we are making progress.
Synonyms and how they differ
- uphill battle
- An uphill battle suggests a struggle against opposition; a hard row to hoe emphasizes steady, laborious effort.
- tall order
- A tall order is a difficult thing to achieve, often a single request; a hard row to hoe is a longer, ongoing difficulty.
Opposites
Commonly confused: hard row to hoe or hard road to hoe?
hard row to hoe vs hard road to hoe
This is a common mistake. The correct word is row, not road, because the idiom refers to a row of crops.
Practice
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Choose one answer.
The idiom is a noun phrase meaning a difficult task, so it fits after 'It was a...'. The other options treat it as a verb or use it literally, which is not the idiomatic use.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hard row to hoe”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.