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hard-edged

adjective

Definition of hard-edgednext
as in unsentimental

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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-edged The Good, the Bad and the Painterly As Bouancheau fashioned a Puss that was more lyrical, like a character that stepped out of a fairy tale book and less hard-edged, all the other characters followed suit. — Karen Idelson, Variety, 23 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-edged
  1. unsentimental
  2. tough-minded
  3. unromantic
  4. bottom-line
  5. cynical
  6. grounded
  7. logical
  8. rational
Adjective
  • The novel also takes an unsentimental look at Jamaica, a country that, let the Sandals ads tell it, is mostly pristine beaches, jerk chicken, and Bob Marley’s One Love on a perpetual loop.
    — Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The affect of these books—brisk, unsentimental, exacting—serves their diagnosis.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsentimental
Adjective
  • Everyone who watches Cochran sees a hard-nosed, tough-minded center back who makes an impact at both ends of the field.
    — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
  • Those are two tough-minded veterans.
    — David Aldridge, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of tough-minded
Adjective
  • At the press conference, a journalist noted that his filmography is notable for its unromantic view of animal life.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • For 30 minutes, the hunter watched the whitetails play a cat-and-mouse game as the buck tried to stay close to the unromantic does.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of unromantic
Adjective
  • Disputing the very right of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, New York AG Letitia James and others to raise an antitrust stink, the Todd Blanche-run DOJ made its bottom-line POV a top line in paperwork filed Tuesday in federal court.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The company went public in July with top- and bottom-line increases, plenty of room to grow overseas and at home and a strong sustainability message.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of bottom-line
Adjective
  • The film is certainly casting a spell, and whether or not that’s simply cynical (and insidiously effective) marketing doesn’t much matter when you’re caught up in it.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • There’s rom-com-style banter between Alice and her colleague Danny (Scoot McNairy), and cynical mentorship from FBI agent Nora (Quincy Tyler Bernstine), who has seen enough to drive her to drink.
    — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of cynical
Adjective
  • The North Pole cruise is not for everyone…especially those who need frequent off-ship excursions to feel, well, grounded.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
  • However, her performance soon takes on a more grounded, childlike cadence, which roots the supposedly amnesiac Margot a little too firmly within the literal, especially for a tale whose poetry lies in its uncanniness.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of grounded
Adjective
  • Morris contributed a logical note to sneaky goings-on, and Lupus made his silent bit seem credible.
    — Ed Olmstead, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • These athletes, many of whom are 22 or 23 years old, have logical reasons to extend their collegiate sports careers into their mid-20s or beyond.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of logical
Adjective
  • Clearly, the most mutually beneficial option is for neither rational actor to talk.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Elliptic curves of rank 0, for example, have only a finite number of rational points.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of rational

Browse Nearby Words

hard-driving
hard-edged
harden
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Cite this Entry

“Hard-edged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-edged. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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