hard-core

adjective

ˈhärd-ˈkȯr How to pronounce hard-core (audio)
Definition of hard-corenext
as in deep
firmly established over time the hard-core habits that generate our mountains of trash everyday will be extremely difficult to change

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-core After reports of a lousy atmosphere during Argentina’s narrow victory over Egypt, in the round of sixteen, there were rumors that hundreds of hard-core supporters had been flown to Atlanta, to pep things up in the stadium. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 Nexstar‘s The Hill hopes to get a bump from offering a new tier of content to hard-core subscribers. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 July 2026 On the court, the nickname goes back to the 1930s, when journalists evoked the Bible’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as a way of describing the four hard-core conservative justices who blocked progressive legislation for years. — Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 7 July 2026 These are not social Democrats, these are hard-core, godless communists. — CBS News, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hard-core
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-core
  1. deep
  2. inveterate
  3. lifelong
  4. entrenched
  5. inherent
  6. rooted
Adjective
  • For a deeper look at its cultural history, take a boat from Oban to remote Oneke, or The Neck, an early Māori settlement and the tūrangawaewae—place of belonging—of Rakiura Māori.
    — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026
  • If successful, the work could help future missions explore areas that are difficult for conventional rovers to reach, including deep valleys and underground environments.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of deep
Adjective
  • The Beach Boys’ touring machine has been going nearly nonstop for the last 65 or so years, as Stamos and Christian Love noted in the intro, driven by Mike as one of pop music’s most inveterate and even seemingly compulsive tourers.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • An inveterate performer, Carvey gave off a sense of perpetual people-pleasing, and the results were undeniably popular and hilarious, as the laughs echoed throughout his sketches.
    — Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of inveterate
Adjective
  • Crow-Armstrong’s parents, Matt Armstrong and Ashley Crow, along with his girlfriend and lifelong friends who traveled to be present for the announcement, all came together to share in his MVP moment.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Rather, Bugg was the club’s kit sponsor, a thrill for the lifelong Notts County fan.
    — Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of lifelong
Adjective
  • Still, Ginnifer’s death shows how the most entrenched elements of faith-healing communities resist aggressive enforcement.
    — Noelle Crombie, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Allowing political control over grantmaking to become more deeply entrenched would make recovery considerably harder.
    — Carole LaBonne, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of entrenched
Adjective
  • CardsHQ's Wilson said some variation between assessments is an inherent challenge in a process that involves human judgment.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026
  • This may involve following an order from inception to fulfillment; even a delivery exception or a refund can reveal inherent dependencies that haven’t been explored but will surface during implementation.
    — Chris Dunn, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of inherent
Adjective
  • Reflecting on this structural evolution, Harris explained that while explainer journalism remains deeply rooted in his identity, his underlying creative goals demanded a broader perspective.
    — Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Their concerns are numerous and rooted in both present practices and future possibilities.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of rooted

Browse Nearby Words

hardcase
hard-core
hardcover
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Cite this Entry

“Hard-core.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-core. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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