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
  • That’s a shame, because Eleazar gives a layered and unsentimental performance in what should be her breakout role, even as Rock’s film turns out to hide some curious ideas about women.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Mears died at the age of ninety-one, and the end of his life seems to have been as unsentimental as its beginning.
    — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsentimental
Adjective
  • Those sorts of moments can be discombobulating, even jarring, even for the tough-minded likes of NFL players.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of tough-minded
Adjective
  • Hollywood has reliably churned out rom-coms for a century, but only a handful have survived the unromantic ravages of time.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 29 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of unromantic
Adjective
  • Top- and bottom-line results for the period beat expectations.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
  • McKinsey’s 2026 State of AI survey found that only about 6% of companies report a significant bottom-line impact from AI—defined as attributing at least 5% of EBIT to the technology—a figure unchanged from a year earlier.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of bottom-line
Adjective
  • The piece is an exuberantly hopeful and unabashedly patriotic look at America and its possibilities that seems downright defiant in such a deeply cynical and divided time in the nation’s history.
    — Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Far more gruesome and cynical than its YA label would imply, Weiner’s brisk novel is the literary equivalent of a sugar rush.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of cynical
Adjective
  • If the group’s earlier music captured the claustrophobia of young adult neuroses, this new sound feels more grounded and reflective.
    — Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Full of rich texture and detail, the adaptation remains true to the 1975 Clavell novel, especially its gritty and grounded humanity.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of grounded
Adjective
  • Think about your beliefs, discard your prejudices and be logical and consistent.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 12 Nov. 2026
  • To those who know his ideas, the notion of a Spinozist biographer will seem about as logical as a vegan butcher or a pacifist contract killer.
    — Kieran Setiya, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of logical
Adjective
  • Carlisle is entitled to make fun of her colleagues for overestimating the power of rational argument and for preferring false simplicity to complicated truth.
    — Kieran Setiya, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The calm, rational response to the Dallas Cowboys’ latest embarrassing performance is to burn it down.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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