1
as in strict
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
a flinty warrior hardened by years of battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
wrestling opponents intimidating each other with flinty stares
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flinty
Sporting Robert Shaw’s distinctive fisherman’s cap, flinty and crooked grin, and swarthy mutton-chop sideburns, Gildart Jackson’s is an evocative portrayal of Robert Shaw.
—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
Eva is a complex character, flinty and businesslike, deadly serious about her mission and willing to make ethical compromises to move it forward.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
Season 1 detailed how Robby—a crinkle-eyed stalwart whose stethoscope seems made of thorns—was still suffering from PTSD from his experiences working during the coronavirus pandemic, while a violent attack from a patient made the otherwise flinty Dana reconsider whether her job was still bearable.
—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
Yet Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes, among others, insisted that Brown, whose archaic-modern style telescopes entire epochs into a few flinty lines, belongs among the major twentieth-century bards.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flinty
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
Eva is a complex character, flinty and businesslike, deadly serious about her mission and willing to make ethical compromises to move it forward.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
Season 1 detailed how Robby—a crinkle-eyed stalwart whose stethoscope seems made of thorns—was still suffering from PTSD from his experiences working during the coronavirus pandemic, while a violent attack from a patient made the otherwise flinty Dana reconsider whether her job was still bearable.
—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
Yet Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes, among others, insisted that Brown, whose archaic-modern style telescopes entire epochs into a few flinty lines, belongs among the major twentieth-century bards.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flinty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flinty
Adjective
-
Under the law, California is able to set these stricter standards through a waiver from the EPA.
-
And extreme sports accidents renew calls for stricter regulations.
Adjective
-
But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.
-
Platner, a gruff 41-year-old Marine Corps veteran, is trying to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins with a platform of economic populism, universal health care, labor protections, and anti-interventionism.
Adjective
-
Summer 2026 is having a tough time deciding on this season’s dominating nail trend.
-
These are typically low-wage jobs that the healthcare industry writ large has had a tough time recruiting for since the pandemic.
Adjective
-
Judges have to throw the book at those arrested to teach them a stern lesson.
-
However, for students graduating right now, Hammer can't really summon up anything stern to say.
Adjective
-
Plant magnolias somewhere they will be protected from harsh winds, especially when buds or flowers are developing.
-
Most clarifying shampoos tend to be a little harsh and drying, but this one is gentle and nourishing.
Adjective
-
Despite a few glimmers of good feeling, today's fierce political divisions have redefined a milestone that has often been marked by unity and optimism, at least for a moment.
-
An uncontained blaze in Utah’s Juab County has scorched 34 square miles, forcing the evacuation of Eureka and nearby ranches as firefighters race to shield homes amid fierce winds.
Adjective
-
China is, of course, an authoritarian state which has been criticized for maintaining a mass-surveillance system, while Brazil regained democracy in 1985 after two decades of military dictatorship.
-
Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s 2018 book, How Democracies Die, argues that the most decisive figures in the success or failure of an authoritarian attempt are the would-be authoritarian’s ideological allies.
Adjective
-
Located at an altitude of about 27,000 feet, Tshiring said the remains have become a grim waypoint for climbers ascending from the Tibetan side of the iconic mountain.
-
The heroic death plays out almost as a footnote in an otherwise grim day at sea.
Cite this Entry
“Flinty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flinty. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
