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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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-nosed
The hard-nosed bottom six forward, who came to the Wild at the trade deadline after serving as the Chicago Blackhawks’ captain for the past two seasons, scored two of Minnesota’s three goals in the first period of what eventually became an overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
17 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for hard-nosed
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
17 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for hard-nosed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-nosed
Adjective
-
The weather service’s forecast discussion for Kansas City said the stubborn heat could last through the Fourth of July.
-
Against all odds, the stubborn housing market has become a hotspot for young talent.
Adjective
-
And in Season Two, Survival of the Thickest went all out on a dream wedding for Peppermint, an idea Buteau was adamant about making it on screen.
-
Advertisement Throughout negotiations, Tehran has been adamant that any cease-fire with Washington must also end the hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, and that any permanent truce must lead to Israel withdrawing its forces from southern Lebanon.
Adjective
-
The Federal Reserve’s steadfast period of low interest rates in the 2000s was criticized as contributing to a housing bubble in the 2000s, followed by the mortgage crisis of 2007 and the Great Recession the following year.
-
With the almighty Sun highlighting your 7th House of Partnership, commitments benefit from structure that includes realistic timelines and steadfast follow-through.
Adjective
-
Kimberli Pierce said her husband came home a hardened man.
-
Strong integrity, without humility or collaboration, becomes rigidity—as seen in Steve Jobs, whose candor fueled innovation but hardened relationships.
Cite this Entry
“Hard-nosed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-nosed. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
