HARD-AND-FAST Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

hard-and-fast

adjective

ˌhärd-ᵊn-ˈfast

Definition of hard-and-fast

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unchangeable

not capable of changing or being changed hard-and-fast beliefs that are the rock-solid foundation of their religion

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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-and-fast There are no hard-and-fast rules on how to log a home run or whether a circus catch ought to be recorded as more than an out. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 24 Apr. 2026 Dogs bred for alertness or reactivity may be more attuned to sound, though this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 7 Apr. 2026 There are no hard-and-fast rules for replacing a mattress. — Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026 One hard-and-fast rule to live by in this case? — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hard-and-fast

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-and-fast

Adjective

Trump on Monday announced plans to impose a 50% tariff on certain Canadian imports, citing what officials called trade discrimination against American companies in the dairy, auto and alcohol industries.

— Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026
Now, after mounting the American League’s second-best record since June 1, the picture is less certain.

— Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Definition of certain

Adjective

Families can also create irrevocable trusts to remove countable assets towards Medicaid qualification, but remember, irrevocable trusts are usually unchangeable.

— Medora Lee, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Policies Vary by Location As generous as Aldi’s approach can be, there are a few places where the rules are solid and unchangeable.

— Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026

Definition of unchangeable

Adjective

Authorities said one of 10 survivors was discharged from the hospital while the other nine were in stable condition.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
There’s also a beach, a floating water park, a horse stable, and a 27-hole, 81-par disc golf course that hosts the annual New Mexico Disc Golf Championships.

— Allison Savage Bates, Denver Post, 19 July 2026

Definition of stable

Adjective

If this means something after thousands of years, maybe that’s because the desire for solid ground in a baffling and chaotic world is unchanging.

— Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
The soccer world has moved on from the idea that a coach must share his players' blood and that a team’s identity is just a reflection of an unchanging national character.

— Michael Morris, Time, 1 July 2026

Definition of unchanging

Adjective

Investment options Stocks, equities, ETFs, mutual funds, fixed income, alternative investments like private equity and hedge funds.

— Dan Avery, CNBC, 17 July 2026
For many families, seniors and people on a fixed income, that’s already a significant financial burden.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026

Definition of fixed

Adjective

Essentially a rock has met a hard place – at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Remember, all this hard work to discover all these things has been done in the midst of designing a ballroom, cleaning up the reflecting pool and a host of other busy things the president and his administration have been doing.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

hard

hard-and-fast

hardback

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Style

“Hard-and-fast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-and-fast. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hard-and-fast

adjective

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