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
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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
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Uwharrie National Forest About 1 hour and 15 minutes from Charlotte Pack sunscreen, bug spray, sturdy walking shoes, and lots of water and snacks for a day trip to Uwharrie National Forest—one of four national forests in North Carolina—and the Badin Lake Recreation Area.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
7 June 2025
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Yet while hiring generally has slowed, other economists figured job growth remained sturdy last month as companies frustrated by labor shortages during the pandemic continued to curtail layoffs.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Plants have larger foliage and bigger blooms than their tropical counterparts and are winter hardy.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
25 May 2025
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Above the tidal zone begins a maquis of mastic, myrtle, helichrysum, arbutus, and other fragrant, hardy plants, which in the higher, more remote parts of the island give way to groves of ilex, eucalyptus, and stone pine.—
Lee Marshall,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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The unexpected combination of rugged Western elements with sleek swimwear created a striking contrast that resonated with the fashion-forward crowd.—
Cassell Ferere,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
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Nigel Sylvester’s Air Jordan 4 RM collaborations were some of the most coveted sneakers of 2024 and after a reported Air Jordan 7 RM instead turned out to be a new model known as the Jordan 92 MVP, another Air Jordan shoe is now rumored to receive the rugged restomod remaster.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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This is a time for doing the tough, often unglamorous job of making the city function for all New Yorkers.—
Scott Stringer,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2025
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There are powerful levers to pull if Trump chooses, like increasing US military aid or imposing tough new sanctions, such as those overwhelmingly supported in the US Senate.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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That piece, and the book that would follow, has become a staple of environmental humanities classes for decades and still stirs vigorous classroom debate today.—
Daegan Miller
June 5,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
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Media reports that Saudi Arabia will lift its decades-old ban on alcohol in select tourist zones have prompted the flare-up of a vigorous online debate in the conservative kingdom, with some voices in support and others in strong opposition.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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Use a stout wooden stake and place it in the soil near the center of the pot after filling it with soil.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 June 2025
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This is having a spillover effect to other stout offerings in the U.S.—
Erik Ofgang,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard-bitten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-bitten. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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