# hard done by

idiom

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

## Meaning

used, cheated, or exploited by

## Examples

- He feels hard done by after losing his job.
- She felt hard done by when her manager gave the promotion to someone with less experience.
- The workers felt hard done by after the company cut their benefits while the executives received large bonuses.

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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.