Question

in_the_loop_052 a difficult or unpleasant reality to deal with The expression suggests something that, like a pill, is unpleasant but cannot be avoided.

Accepted Answer

BITTER/HARD PILL TO SWALLOW John discovered the hard truth about responsibility. He didn’t get his college application in on time and the school won’t reconsider. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he had to learn the hard way.Jill thought she was a good singer. When her brother told her she was tone-deaf, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Id	in_the_loop_052
Idiom	BITTER/HARD PILL TO SWALLOW
Definition	a difficult or unpleasant reality to deal with
Examples	John discovered the hard truth about responsibility. He didn’t get his college application in on time and the school won’t reconsider. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he had to learn the hard way. Jill thought she was a good singer. When her brother told her she was tone-deaf, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
Extra Info	The expression suggests something that, like a pill, is unpleasant but cannot be avoided.

Pill Swallow Hard Unpleasant Loop Bitter/Hard Difficult Reality