: not to be modified or evaded : strict
a hard-and-fast rule

Examples of hard-and-fast in a Sentence

hard-and-fast rules that governed the corporate environment in those days included strictures regarding office dress that were rigidly enforced hard-and-fast beliefs that are the rock-solid foundation of their religion
Recent Examples on the Web In the absence of hard-and-fast rules from Congress, the U.S. has proven to be one of the most active enforcers of penalties and legal challenges against crypto companies. Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 19 July 2024 Ultimately, going dairy-free is less about hard-and-fast nutrition and more about exploring the options that work best for you and your body. Karina Hoshikawa, refinery29.com, 2 Jan. 2024 There are no hard-and-fast recommendations for how much colostrum to take. Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 2 July 2024 It’s always been hard to come up with hard-and-fast rules governing best new artist, which is probably why the description of the category in the rules and guidelines booklet is easily twice as long as the descriptions of album, record and song of the year, combined. Paul Grein, Billboard, 25 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for hard-and-fast 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hard-and-fast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard-and-fast was in 1822

Dictionary Entries Near hard-and-fast

Cite this Entry

“Hard-and-fast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard-and-fast. Accessed 12 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

hard-and-fast

adjective
ˌhärd-ᵊn-ˈfast
: not to be changed : fixed
a hard-and-fast rule
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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