1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
a hard-boiled Puritan schoolmaster who was as unyielding as New England granite
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
made the hard-boiled business decision to downsize the company, thereby costing thousands of longtime employees their jobs
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Recent Examples of hard-boiled
The lenses of deep-sea fish are also especially susceptible to clouding, in the same way that egg whites go from clear to opaque when hard-boiled.
—
Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
For lunch or dinner, top a salad with scrambled or hard-boiled eggs.
—Amanda MacMillan, Health, 9 Sep. 2025
In a smaller pot of water over high heat, boil eggs, covered, until just hard-boiled, 7 minutes, then run under cold water.
—Aleksandra Crapanzano, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2023
This is outback noir — oblique, secretive and as hard-boiled as the ground is hard-baked — and Sen wears it well.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 Feb. 2023
As Detective Munch, Mr. Belzer was brainy but hard-boiled, cynical but sensitive.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2023
Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
For lunch or dinner, top a salad with scrambled or hard-boiled eggs.
—Amanda MacMillan, Health, 9 Sep. 2025
In a smaller pot of water over high heat, boil eggs, covered, until just hard-boiled, 7 minutes, then run under cold water.
—Aleksandra Crapanzano, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2023
This is outback noir — oblique, secretive and as hard-boiled as the ground is hard-baked — and Sen wears it well.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 Feb. 2023
As Detective Munch, Mr. Belzer was brainy but hard-boiled, cynical but sensitive.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-boiled
Adjective
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Zimmer also received an Emmy nod for her portrayal of ruthless executive Quinn King on Unreal (2015–2018).—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025
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And in short stories and doorstops, her attention is ruthless and unflinching.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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For me, it’s been really essential to read a lot of great information, and to come at the world filled with knowledge and all these ideas of, in my view, much smarter and braver people than myself.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
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Those rats were smarter, and their brains were larger and more complex than the brains of the rats in the isolated condition.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Chat members were merciless in their rhetoric against fellow Young Republicans in competing factions of the organization.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
15 Oct. 2025
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Next is 4-2 Mississippi State at home, the closest thing to a reprieve left on this merciless schedule.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In the complicated, thorny, offensive, manipulative, sometimes hilarious, sometimes uncomfortable video interview, which evokes the feeling of an uncle sitting down with his hardheaded nephew, Thug is reeling and full of so much anxiety that his legs are shaking.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
11 Sep. 2025
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Flash mobs in the Loop are a real problem demanding hardheaded solutions.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Senne Lammens continuing his composed start to his United career could at least counteract those types of chances for Brighton, while Amorim’s defenders will need to be astute to the movement of Hurzeler’s front-line.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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The odd, sometimes astute connections and ideas her seemingly new brain forms are not entirely unpleasant.—
Bekah Waalkes,
The Atlantic,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Yes, the group had already dominated the Jets offense to the point that New York QB Justin Fields was benched in favor of veteran backup Tyrod Taylor in the second half.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Oct. 2025
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Olmstead is a veteran film and TV producer.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Pet holiday deals 2025 Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations.—
Christine Persaud,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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The warehouse store, known for its price savvy staples, is also excellent at rolling out new and returning seasonal favorites to delight their warehouse club members.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Costco, though, was a shrewd recombination of what had come before rather than a straight copy.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
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The shrewd operator who is also wildly reactive merges both aspects of his character with his off-script moment heard ‘round the world.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard-boiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-boiled. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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