# hard cheese

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hard-cheese
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An unsympathetic retort to someone suffering misfortune.

## Examples

- You missed the bus? Hard cheese, you will have to walk.
- I asked for a refund on my non-refundable ticket, but the clerk just said hard cheese.
- When the investor complained about the sudden loss of his capital, the firm offered only a cold shrug and a dismissive hard cheese.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.