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

The other patients -- a male child, a 23-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman -- are in stable condition, according to the hospital.

— Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 27 July 2026
Miami’s German Berterame was hospitalized after landing on his head from an in-air collision and appearing to lose consciousness, but is said to now be stable and undergoing tests.

— Greg Cote July 26, Miami Herald, 26 July 2026

Definition of stable

Adjective

On just one unchanging set, an old-time concert hall designed by Rachel Hauck and made appropriately ominous, a tiny ensemble enacts a whole Greek tragedy of love and sacrifice that goes from the land of the living to the underworld and back.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
There is a fallacy in thinking of languages as brute and unchanging facts, laid out distinctly like elements in the periodic table.

— Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026

Definition of unchanging

Adjective

With the final tour game against Sunderland taking place on August 2, Parkinson and his players won’t be back in the UK until the Monday morning (August 3) — leaving under five days to prepare.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 24 July 2026
The final decision was even less than the previous 2024 ruling, which would have granted Roh about $1 billion in division of property.

— Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 24 July 2026

Definition of final

Adjective

Having lived and worked across multiple countries throughout his career, Midi Z no longer defines home as a fixed place.

— Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 25 July 2026
Investment options Stocks, equities, ETFs, mutual funds, fixed income, alternative investments like private equity and hedge funds.

— Dan Avery, CNBC, 17 July 2026

Definition of fixed

Adjective

Not play-act, but do the real work, make the hard and noble choices, not forsake his vows but live by them.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Adding another employee, buying a new piece of equipment, or expanding into a larger space all become harder when the tax code penalizes those investments.

— Kent Strang, Boston Herald, 26 July 2026

Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

hard

hard-and-fast

hardback

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“Hard-and-fast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-and-fast. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hard-and-fast

adjective

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