hardcore

1 of 2

adjective

hard·​core ˈhärd-ˈkȯr 

variants or hard-core

1

a

: of, relating to, or being part of a hard core (see hard core sense 1a) : marked by or involving a persistent state or circumstance

hardcore poverty

the hard-core unemployed

b

: very active and enthusiastic : dedicated, die-hard

hardcore gamers

Few of the races for Congress and the Legislature are seriously contested, and most voters will probably be hard-core party loyalists on both sides.

—John Hill

c

: serious or intense in nature or degree

… gyms where the training became so hardcore that the program bordered on tyrannical.

—Mark Giannotto

2

of pornography : containing explicit descriptions of sex acts or scenes of actual sex acts compare soft-core

3

: characterized by or being the purest or most basic form of something : fundamental

News executives deeply committed to and trained in hard-core journalism …

—Ron Alridge

hard core

2 of 2

noun

variants or hardcore

ˈhärd-ˌkȯr 

plural hard cores or hardcores

1

: a central or fundamental and usually enduring group or part: such as

a

: a relatively small and usually enduring core of society marked by apparent resistance to change or inability to escape a persistent condition (such as poverty or chronic unemployment)

b

: the most devoted and active members of a group

… the hard core of the Unionist Party …

—J. B. Firth

2

usually hardcore chiefly British : hard material in pieces (such as broken bricks or stone) used as a bottom layer or fill (as in making roads and in foundations)

3

usually hardcore or hardcore punk : a subgenre of punk rock marked usually by intense speed and loud volume

For most of the people who loved hardcore, the music was inseparable from the scene that created it, and from the turbulent shows that brought participants together.

—Kelefa Sanneh

—often used before another noun

… '80s hardcore bands like the Adolescents and Vandals …

—Lorraine Ali

Synonyms

Adjective

• deep
• inveterate
• lifelong
• entrenched
• rooted

Examples of hardcore in a Sentence

Adjective

the hard-core habits that generate our mountains of trash everyday will be extremely difficult to change

Noun

He knows that he can count on the support of a hard core of party loyalists.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The department’s strategy typically involves going after the small group of hardcore offenders driving most of the violence, an approach Hamilton said is paying off. —Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025

The hardcore Escape From Tarkov wipe has been teased for a few weeks, but now it has officially been confirmed, with the wipe date revealed as July 9, which is tomorrow. —Mike Stubbs, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

Noun

Besides embroidery, there’s a patch bar and a curve station, which appeals to a hard core fashion collector. —Sharon Edelson, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025

Can someone unite hard core progressives and slightly more moderate progressives? —Bradley Tusk, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing hardcore

• hardcore punk

Rhymes for hardcore

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore

Kids Definition

hard core

noun

1

: an unchanging and lasting central part

2

: a small number of aggressive members of a group

hard-core adjective