a hard pill to swallow
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: hard pill to swallow
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A situation or information that is unpleasant but must be accepted.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Imported from Wikipedia “English-language idioms” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29), pending review.
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Unpleasant or difficult information to accept
Literally: a bitter medicine capsule
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “a hard pill to swallow” mean?
A situation or information that is unpleasant but must be accepted.
Is “a hard pill to swallow” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.