as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
the team's hard-nosed coach doesn't make exceptions for anybody
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Recent Examples of hard-nosed
Known as a hard-nosed and aggressive operator, Williamson worked for former Govs.
—
Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
And Shamet repaid that trust with 15 points on five-of-six shooting from the field plus hard-nosed defense in 26 minutes of play in the Knicks’ Game 3 victory.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
That identity – a hard-nosed, gritty style of basketball – was on display in Game 2 of their second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
That somebody is Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), who, as the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale revealed, has gone from hard-nosed enforcer for the government to secret operative for the resistance.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard-nosed
Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
And Shamet repaid that trust with 15 points on five-of-six shooting from the field plus hard-nosed defense in 26 minutes of play in the Knicks’ Game 3 victory.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
That identity – a hard-nosed, gritty style of basketball – was on display in Game 2 of their second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
That somebody is Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), who, as the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale revealed, has gone from hard-nosed enforcer for the government to secret operative for the resistance.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hard-nosed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-nosed
Adjective
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Researchers have been looking into ways to reduce the stubborn inflammation HIV causes in the central nervous system.—
Smita S. Iyer,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
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The findings, published in 2025 in Brain Stimulation, point to a fundamentally new way of treating one of the most stubborn psychiatric conditions, using a miniaturized implant that delivers brief bursts of stimulation only during key moments of exposure therapy.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Officials with the Georgia Department of Transportation have been adamant that many of the major road closures and resurfacing projects are unrelated to the World Cup, and therefore are on a multi-year timeline.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Healthcare advocates are equally adamant.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Douglas County remains steadfast in its commitment to transparency and adherence to Colorado Open Meeting laws.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
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The throughline of his life is his on-again, off-again friendship with, but also his steadfast love for a neighbor girl of the upper class, who challenges him repeatedly to become his better self.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Cuban leaders are believed to rely on hardened facilities, underground bunkers, tunnels, decoys, secure compounds and frequent movement.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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That means hardened infrastructure, redundant logistics, jointly developed air and missile defenses, more resilient energy systems, and upgrades to pipelines, ports, rail, and trade routes.—
Daniel Benaim,
Time,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard-nosed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-nosed. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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