as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
a case-hardened homicide detective who has seen it all
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for case-hardened
Adjective
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Zimmer also received an Emmy nod for her portrayal of ruthless executive Quinn King on Unreal (2015–2018).—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025 -
And in short stories and doorstops, her attention is ruthless and unflinching.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Chat members were merciless in their rhetoric against fellow Young Republicans in competing factions of the organization.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
15 Oct. 2025
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Next is 4-2 Mississippi State at home, the closest thing to a reprieve left on this merciless schedule.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Give her the chance to play pathos, and Squibb can crack your stony heart in half.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
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According to the Earth Impact Effects Program calculator, developed by Imperial College in London, U.K., a stony asteroid the size of 2025 FA22 could cause a crater 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As the show wound to a close and the models triumphantly returned to the stage, the generational divide seemed best crystallized, under a flurry of pink confetti, in Adriana Lima's commanding presence.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
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In Hollywood, Tilly crystallized fears about AI in a way not seen since the 2023 strikes.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The only issue is his mother Laura (Wright), a woman who has lost a child once before and is petrified of a repeat.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Case-hardened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/case-hardened. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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