hard-bitten

adjective

ˈhärd-ˈbi-tᵊn How to pronounce hard-bitten (audio)
Definition of hard-bittennext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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-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
  1. sturdy
  2. hardy
  3. strong
  4. rugged
  5. tough
  6. hardened
  7. vigorous
  8. stout
Adjective
  • Sit toward the front edge of a sturdy chair, hold the sides for support, and lean back slightly while lifting one or both feet a few inches off the floor.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • One track, though, has stood out as an especially sturdy leader.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of sturdy
Adjective
  • Add a can of white beans for heft and serve with peppery greens like arugula or a hardy chicory like radicchio.
    — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The Cyclospora parasite is particularly hardy, so routine rinsing or washing of produce is unlikely to kill it.
    — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of hardy
Adjective
  • Indonesia’s Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency said August and September are expected to be the most critical months as dry vegetation and strong winds create favorable conditions for fires to spread rapidly.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • For someone who is dogmatic, or has a strong commitment to evangelism, this may not be satisfactory.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of strong
Adjective
  • The Fishlake National Forest blaze near Kanosh has surged to 165 square miles, with only 19% contained, forcing evacuations, destroying structures and drawing more than 600 firefighters into rugged terrain.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
  • On June 27, members of the Rifle Interagency Helitack Crew spent the morning working on two fires burning in rugged red rock country on the Colorado-Utah border.
    — Murphy Woodhouse, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of rugged
Adjective
  • Coventry, for example, face Manchester City away in Gameweek Three, while some of the teams worth targeting early like Manchester United, Chelsea and Sunderland have tougher fixtures in Gameweeks Three or Four.
    — Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • This summer has seen a confluence of challenges, including excessive heat that allows food contamination to grow and a pathogen that’s particularly tough to pin down.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • The company under the most commercial pressure to ship its next model just told the market that the model may be able to break into hardened systems on its own.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Graham's kind is the common one, driven by age, blood pressure, and hardened arteries.
    — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of hardened
Adjective
  • Beijing would implement more vigorous reform of the country’s household registration system, to allow greater social and economic mobility and establish a stronger social safety net.
    — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
  • All your zillennial and millennial friends, now adults with car insurance and vigorous SPF routines, have been watching cozy, faintly dissociative teen dramas in order to forget their troubles.
    — Daisy Jones, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of vigorous
Adjective
  • Combined output is a powerful 437 horsepower and a stout 583 pound-feet of torque.
    — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Veteran Dre'Mont Jones, who's typically a stout run defender, wasn't immune to the edge-setting problems that plagued the outside linebackers throughout practice.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of stout

Browse Nearby Words

hardbacks
hard-bitten
hard-boiled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hard-bitten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-bitten. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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