Hard pill to swallow
📖 Meanings
- 1.
A situation or information that is uncomfortable but must be accepted.
- 2.
An event that is difficult to accept.
- 3.
An unpleasant reality or fact that one has to acknowledge.
- 4.
A piece of information that is difficult to accept.
💬 Examples
- 1.
The fact that he lied to me was a hard pill to swallow.
- 2.
The team's defeat was a hard pill to swallow.
- 3.
The cancellation of the show was a hard pill to swallow for the fans.
- 4.
The bad news was a hard pill to swallow.
🗞️ Etymology
- 1.
First recorded in the mid-19th century.
- 2.
Originated as a metaphor for accepting an unpleasant situation.
- 3.
The phrase became popular in the mid-20th century.
- 4.
Based on the literal difficulty of swallowing a large or unpleasant-tasting pill.
🔁 Synonyms
- 1.
Bitter pill to swallow
- 2.
Uncomfortable fact
- 3.
Unpleasant truth
- 4.
Inconvenient truth
- 5.
Harsh reality
🌀 Variants
- 1.
Tough pill to swallow
- 2.
Difficult pill to swallow
- 3.
Bitter pill to swallow
- 4.
Hard truth to swallow
- 5.
Hard fact to swallow