Synonyms of hard-linenext
: advocating or involving a rigidly uncompromising course of action
a hard-line policy
hard-liner noun

Examples of hard-line in a Sentence

a hard-line approach to the sentencing of repeat offenders
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Beijing is also well aware that American democracy is inherently prone to flip-flops and that the hard-line Washington consensus on China is likely to return with the next election. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026 Some hard-line conservatives had pitched extending the CR for another year rather than negotiating with Democrats on new funding levels. Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 22 Jan. 2026 Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to the supreme leader, hard-line parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, are often touted as names in the frame. Peter Nicholas, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026 In Westwood — the epicenter of the community, where the eponymous boulevard is lined by storefronts covered in Persian script — the widespread opposition to Iran’s hard-line theocracy is hard to miss. Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hard-line

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard-line was in 1903

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Cite this Entry

“Hard-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard-line. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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