Hard going Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Subjective Experience Use 'hard going' when something feels hard for you, even if it's easy for others. Understanding her accent is hard going for me. Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight 'Hard going' often implies emotional or mental exhaustion, not just difficulty. After the breakup, every day was hard going. Pro Tip 3/3Not Literally Hard Doesn't necessarily mean something is hard to the touch; it's about the effort involved. Writing her novel was hard going.