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
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Recent Examples of hard-and-fast
Elephant parents prefer to let children develop at their own pace, adapting to their needs over any hard-and-fast rules or strict routine.
—
Anna Earl, Parents, 2 July 2025
By now, that list of what the WIMP can’t be is rather long, and large regions within the space of possibilities are now hard-and-fast ruled out.
—ArsTechnica, 25 June 2025
This is not a hard-and-fast rule, which is good because teams bounce around that threshold daily this time of year.
—Eno Sarris, New York Times, 18 June 2025
While there’s no hard-and-fast rule, experts say the honeymoon phase can last anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of years.
—Christina Pérez, Vogue, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-and-fast
Anna Earl, Parents, 2 July 2025
By now, that list of what the WIMP can’t be is rather long, and large regions within the space of possibilities are now hard-and-fast ruled out.
—ArsTechnica, 25 June 2025
This is not a hard-and-fast rule, which is good because teams bounce around that threshold daily this time of year.
—Eno Sarris, New York Times, 18 June 2025
While there’s no hard-and-fast rule, experts say the honeymoon phase can last anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of years.
—Christina Pérez, Vogue, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-and-fast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-and-fast
Adjective
-
Robinhood stock benefits from positive momentum, with impressive recent growth and margins, though certain risks are potential considerations for investors.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The company’s vision: a system that lets drivers take Zoom calls while the vehicle does the driving—that is, once Level 3 vehicle autonomy is reached and cars can reliably drive themselves under certain conditions.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
An executive order Trump signed on his first day back in office proclaims the federal government recognizes only two unchangeable sexes, male and female.—
Brooke Migdon,
The Hill,
28 July 2025
-
An order Trump signed on Jan. 20, his first day back, proclaims that the U.S. recognizes only two unchangeable sexes, male and female.—
Brooke Migdon,
The Hill,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
Travelers are advised to consider alternative itineraries, focusing on stable routes and refundable connections, and to maintain thorough records of expenses and communication with the airline.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Younger people are lonelier – many of them have trouble finding stable friendships and are unable to find a romantic partner.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Building around these unchanging customer desires has driven Amazon's phenomenal success.—
Manjot Pal,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
-
Published in 1915, and already widely accepted worldwide by physicists and mathematicians, the theory assumed the universe was static – unchanging, unmoving and immutable.—
Rob Coyne,
Space.com,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
Lead remediation has yet to begin on a final group of nine schools.—
Cleo Krejci,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The research team studied birth data from 101 nations in order to reach their final conclusions.—
De Elizabeth,
Parents,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In 2008, there was no fixed route, land or right of way and plans had to go through California’s grueling environmental impact review process.—
Alan Ohnsman,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Many consumers—especially those on fixed or limited incomes—are simply unable to absorb any further increases in their cost of living.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Hard-and-fast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-and-fast. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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