HARD-BITTEN Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

hard-bitten

adjective

ˈhärd-ˈbi-tᵊn

Definition of hard-bitten

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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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-bitten 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

Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.

— CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026
For your safety, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 4 July 2026

Definition of sturdy

Adjective

Often grown as a companion plant for vegetables, borage (Borago officinalis) is a hardy annual with periwinkle blue flowers that attract pollinators and other beneficial insects.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2026
Common geraniums grow in USDA zones 9-12, but there are other varieties—like hardy geraniums—that can grow in zones 3-9 as well.

— The Spruce, The Spruce, 11 July 2026

Definition of hardy

Adjective

Beyond California, scientists are raising alarms over the planet’s warming oceans, which — coupled with a strong El Niño — could increase temperatures for land dwellers in the coming weeks.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Weather aside, Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture Week, running from July 6 to 9, will feature shows from 30 houses, compared with FW25’s 27-strong line-up.

— Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 6 July 2026

Definition of strong

Adjective

California is returning a stretch of rugged Mendocino County coast to the Indigenous nations whose ancestors once stewarded its shores.

— Alex Wigglesworth Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 5 July 2026
California is returning a stretch of rugged Mendocino County coast to the Indigenous nations whose ancestors once stewarded its shores.

— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Definition of rugged

Adjective

White, when give the chance, has displayed a diverse offensive game, a defensive bent and an ability to make tough shots.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.

— Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Follow these steps to get rid of hardened residue, odors, and germs, and learn how to make outdoor trash cans a little less yucky.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
Hauser played hardened ranch foreman Rip Wheeler on the Paramount Network series that ran from 2018 to 2024.

— Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026

Definition of hardened

Adjective

Nolan advances his vision, however crowd-pleasing and anachronistic, with vigorous confidence and unimpeachable clarity.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
Especially in containers and hanging baskets, regular fertilizing is essential for keeping petunias blooming and vigorous all summer long.

— Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026

Definition of vigorous

Adjective

In this tournament, Morocco has tried to develop from the 2022 team, which relied on stout defense, into one that can outplay more teams.

— Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 9 July 2026
La Albiceleste created more chances but could not get past the viral sensation in net or the stout Cape Verdean defense before the halftime whistle blew.

— Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 3 July 2026

Definition of stout

Browse Nearby Words

hardbacks

hard-bitten

hard-boiled

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“Hard-bitten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-bitten. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hard-bitten

adjective

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