as in strict
not allowing for any exceptions or loosening of standards
a hard-line approach to the sentencing of repeat offenders
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Recent Examples of hard-line
Iran then installed his son, Mojtaba, who is viewed as even more hard-line, as supreme leader.
—
ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
After last week’s hard-line family-resemblance death panel overseen by Bobchelle Visage, this is entirely too subjective and wishy-washy.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2026
Iran’s government, now more hard-line and militarized than ever, will remain in power.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Iranians of diverse religious faiths mark Nowruz even though the hard-line Iranian regime has at times discouraged festivities.
—Amy Taxin, Arkansas Online, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard-line
ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
After last week’s hard-line family-resemblance death panel overseen by Bobchelle Visage, this is entirely too subjective and wishy-washy.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2026
Iran’s government, now more hard-line and militarized than ever, will remain in power.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Iranians of diverse religious faiths mark Nowruz even though the hard-line Iranian regime has at times discouraged festivities.
—Amy Taxin, Arkansas Online, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard-line
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-line
Adjective
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Minnesota also implemented stricter regulations around those products because of the federal prohibition, such as where consumers can buy them.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
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The design process took more than five years, a negotiation between the city’s strict hydraulic requirements and the neighborhood’s shifting wishes; the result was something no one had pictured in advance.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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No pharmaceutical company, no academic medical center, and no government agency has found the existing preclinical data compelling enough to fund a rigorous human trial in over 30 years.—
Vikas Patel,
STAT,
3 Apr. 2026
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Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance products.—
Layla Melendez,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-line. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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