tough-minded

adjective

Definition of tough-mindednext
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 tough-minded Jarred Vanderbilt is tough-minded, Lakers coach JJ Redick said. — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026 Her tough-minded sister, Ena (Lisa Hagmeister), sees things with greater clarity. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026 Murphy, a gifted mechanic and a veteran of the Great War, immediately stands out to Clancy as a tough-minded, industrious guy. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2026 The number of ambiguous, tough-minded docs may be dwindling, but the tools to repair a broken world are growing. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 7 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tough-minded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tough-minded
  1. unsentimental
  2. bottom-line
  3. unromantic
  4. levelheaded
  5. hard-edged
  6. rational
  7. sensible
  8. logical
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
  • 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
  • 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
  • The man had proven difficult to talk to in a cool, levelheaded way.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
  • To hear levelheaded commentators discuss it, this was all simply entertainment — two of the genre’s greats duking it out.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of levelheaded
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of hard-edged
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
Adjective
  • She became nationally recognized as an advocate for safer schools and more sensible gun laws.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Nov. 2026
  • But for a work truck, an outdoor rig, or a family hauler that sees real weather, the Weatherbeater is the sensible buy.
    — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of sensible
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

Browse Nearby Words

toughly
tough-minded
toughness
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Cite this Entry

“Tough-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tough-minded. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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