1
as in certain
having been established and usually not subject to change
hard-and-fast rules that governed the corporate environment in those days included strictures regarding office dress that were rigidly enforced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unchangeable
not capable of changing or being changed
hard-and-fast beliefs that are the rock-solid foundation of their religion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of hard-and-fast
But even in the absence of hard-and-fast rules and guardrails on how AI can be used in schools, education policymakers identified a number of ethical concerns raised by the technology’s spread, including student safety, data privacy and negative impacts on student learning.
—
Janice Mak, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2026
This was my hard-and-fast belief — up until the trailer for The Sheep Detectives was released on December 18.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
There’s no hard-and-fast rule, and if someone tells you there is?
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 28 Aug. 2025
Final Thoughts Like most decision-making in business, there are no hard-and-fast rules.
—Lisa Zeiderman, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-and-fast
Janice Mak, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2026
This was my hard-and-fast belief — up until the trailer for The Sheep Detectives was released on December 18.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
There’s no hard-and-fast rule, and if someone tells you there is?
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 28 Aug. 2025
Final Thoughts Like most decision-making in business, there are no hard-and-fast rules.
—Lisa Zeiderman, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-and-fast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-and-fast
Adjective
-
Gukesh’s training was unusual in certain respects.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a certain attitude Seattle is searching for in its quest to build a roster capable of winning a second consecutive championship.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Most of these items can be purchased separately for a reasonable price, so focus more on the unchangeable aspects of the cage when choosing, such as size and accessibility.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Coachability used to be considered a mostly unchangeable personality trait; these days, it’s seen as a set of skills that can be developed.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The survivor is in stable condition.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
He was placed on detox monitoring, which was later discontinued after his condition appeared stable.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The images are a clear demonstration of how Mars is far more geologically alive than our almost unchanging moon.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Humanoid robot promises level 4 autonomy Most of the humanoid robots are great at repeating the same task in a perfect, unchanging environment, but often struggle when things get messy.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
An Eliot Wolf pick Eliot Wolf will have final say on the Patriots’ draft picks Saturday, when Mike Vrabel will be away with his family and seeking counseling.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Redick worked with James’ trainer Mike Mancias to ensure his 41-year-old star’s durability in the final aughts of the game – the four-time NBA MVP eventually playing a team-high 45 minutes while using any opportunity to sink to the floor for a breather.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even if those issues could be addressed, the tax base would not remain fixed.—
Martha E. Stark,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
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Moments of humor sit alongside lamentation and ritual intensity, underscoring the exhibition’s refusal of a single, fixed reading.—
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Larysa, Oleh, and their cousins would scale apple trees and bite into unripe fruit, hard and green.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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The best way to do that is to take the least amount of gas (since the tires are hard like hockey pucks and don’t wear out much).—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard-and-fast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-and-fast. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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