hard-core

adjective

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\ ˈhärd-ˈkȯr

Definition of hard-core

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : of, relating to, or being part of a hard core hard-core poverty the hard-core unemployed

b : confirmed, die-hard hard-core rock fans a hard-core liberal

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 a room gussied up in hard-core French provincial style— John Canaday

hard core

noun

Definition of hard core (Entry 2 of 2)

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

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

b : a militant or fiercely loyal faction

2 usually hardcore \ ˈhärd-ˌkȯr

\, chiefly British : hard material in pieces (such as broken bricks or stone) used as a bottom (as in making roads and in foundations)

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about hard-core

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Examples of hard-core in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Many are peaceful, but a hard core have repeatedly attacked police and burned buildings. — Star Tribune, "Blame governor, mayor for violence in Portland," 4 Sep. 2020 Many cameras can be ruggedized with the addition of a case, but the GoPro is hard core on its own. — Gabrielle Hondorp, Popular Mechanics, "The 6 Best Vlogging Cameras to Start Your Own Video Blog," 25 June 2020 Or at least that's how the guy at the carwash sees them: both too hard core for his suburban operation. — Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, "2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon vs. 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD: Crossover Torture Test," 4 June 2020 If a standard 911 Turbo S isn't bonkers enough for you, Porsche will now offer both a Lightweight and a Sport package to make your Turbo S even more hard core. — Connor Hoffman, Car and Driver, "2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Gets Lightweight and Sport Packages," 24 Mar. 2020 The former special effects engineer (Barry) and journalist (Karen) stocked the space with magazines, hard core films, and adult toys, all catering to the LGBTQ+ community at a time when many members of it couldn’t live their lives out in the open. — Anne Cohen, refinery29.com, "How The Director Of Netflix’s Circus Of Books Found Out Her Parents Ran A Gay Porn Empire," 23 Apr. 2020 Bolsonarismo, meanwhile, has the presidency, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the military and, to an even greater extent, the military police—plus a hard core of fanatical supporters. — Vincent Bevins, The New York Review of Books, "In Brazil, Bolsonaro Gambles on a Coronavirus Culture War," 23 Mar. 2020 Most of the talk was about the weather, football, home towns, and travel destinations, rather than hard core politics. — Mike Cason | Mcason@al.com, al, "Tuberville chats with Bama fans, other travelers at Priester’s Pecans," 16 Feb. 2020 Ostensibly made up of civilian supporters, the Dingbats, as the U.S. military called them, had a hard core of plainclothes members from the Panama Defense Forces. — Washington Post, "A rotting cow tongue and ‘evil sorcery’: How the U.S. invasion of Panama led to a literal witch hunt," 23 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hard-core.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.