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
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
-
Tutt and his teams have worked on engineering designs to safely drop anything needing a sturdy parachute — including the Orion capsule that splashed down last month off the coast of San Diego after its 477,710-mile journey to the moon and back.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
This hardy winter plant family doesn’t like to share.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
9 June 2026
-
Aside from delighting the taste buds of curious tourists and hardy locals alike, lobster contributes more than $1 billion to the state’s economy.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
But despite a strong sporting heritage, Panama struggled to translate their success to the football pitch.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
Most other Sacramento-area incumbents cruised to strong leads in their legislative races.—
Evelyn Ronan,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Unpredictable weather and rugged camping conditions add to the adventure rather than detract from it, and the route sits high on many hikers’ bucket lists for that reason.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
-
Top Gear is alluding to the G-Wagon's legitimate off-roading chops thanks to its ground clearance and rugged build.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
More recent air quality news Major automakers are urging the EPA to delay tougher vehicle pollution standards for two years.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
In a tough economy for local breweries, Clairvoyant has found a way to keep its heart beating.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Cuban leaders are believed to rely on hardened facilities, underground bunkers, tunnels, decoys, secure compounds and frequent movement.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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That means hardened infrastructure, redundant logistics, jointly developed air and missile defenses, more resilient energy systems, and upgrades to pipelines, ports, rail, and trade routes.—
Daniel Benaim,
Time,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Clover is a vigorous plant that crowds out weeds, thereby reducing the need for weed control.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
6 June 2026
-
In the luteal phase, progesterone is considered catabolic and may impair muscle contractions during vigorous activity.—
Allison Palmer
June 4,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Dartmouth would only score one goal for the remainder of the game, but was able to keep the Bishops at bay with stout defense and excellent goaltending from junior Letty Nelson.—
Zach McMahon,
Boston Herald,
27 May 2026
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Without Makar, Colorado struggled in all three zones against the Golden Knights’ stout team defense in the first two games of the series.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard-bitten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-bitten. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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