Definition of "hard-won" []

• Having been obtained with effort, despite difficulty and hardship. (adjective)

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• "Though military officials worry a rapid withdrawal of forces could undercut hard-won battlefield gains, they don't want to be seen as pushing their agenda on the civilian leadership."
• "His was not the hard-won victory of Smash going to play college football, nor the emotional reunion between Jason and his family in New York."
• "This appears to be an impressive insight, the hard-won result of Peter's dogged examination of conscience."