as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure
a hard-bitten Apache chief who could endure the scorching heat of the Arizona desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hard-bitten
Her hard-bitten, cynical persona provides a nice juxtaposition to how maudlin so much commentary about motherhood can be.
—
Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
But the sentiments are the razors in the apples: hard-bitten, painful, wise from disappointment, and braced for the next crisis.
—Spin Team, SPIN, 28 Nov. 2024
Alaska has devolved into a colony of big oil, and its politics have become so closed, hard-bitten, and strident.
—Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2015
Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
But the sentiments are the razors in the apples: hard-bitten, painful, wise from disappointment, and braced for the next crisis.
—Spin Team, SPIN, 28 Nov. 2024
Alaska has devolved into a colony of big oil, and its politics have become so closed, hard-bitten, and strident.
—Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-bitten
Adjective
-
Best Minimalist Pick: Kuru Flex Via Kuru may specialize in sturdy, supportive shoes—but that doesn’t mean all of its pairs feel clunky.—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
1 May 2025
-
It’s also loaded with features like USB passthrough and a sturdy wrist rest.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
Spruce trees, which are evergreen conifers related to but not the same as flora like the Douglas fir or pines, are long-living, hardy plants that are well known to exist in some pretty harsh environments.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Carp are hardy freshwater fish native to Europe and Asia, known for their adaptability to various environmental conditions.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
13 Jan. 2023
-
According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.—
Elliot Hughes,
Journal Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
That won’t necessarily solve the spacing issues on the offensive end, but Looney is often Kerr’s counter in rugged environments and could help shore up the defensive issues that are becoming more troubling.—
Anthony Slater,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
-
Nestled against a mountainside in the rugged Alatau region surrounding Almaty, Kazakhstan, Mazhitova’s home is indeed singular, bringing to mind the cavelike villas designed by maverick French architect Jacques Couëlle in the 1950s and ’60s, or the rustic dwellings of Tolkien’s Middle-earth.—
Amy Bradford,
Architectural Digest,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
Published in English, Tehelka had a small circulation but an outsized reputation for tough investigations.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Four times, he’s used it to strikeout hitters, with the horizontal break being tough to pick up.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The spectacular dancing shifts from vigorous chorus lines to topflight tap and modern dance routines, often blurring genre boundaries.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Other video motifs include UFOs, idyllic green pastures, and vigorous exhortations to drink only the purest, rawest milk.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Day 3 pick who could surprise: Jay Toia, DT, UCLA A prospect who easily could have been drafted in the fourth round, Toia is a stout, wide-bodied run defender who can stack and shed the point with ease.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
-
And, just as with the first twister, a small nub started dropping and circulating from the wall cloud, but was shaped more like a stout stovepipe.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard-bitten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-bitten. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share