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 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 His dad was a very, very tough-minded person. — Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 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
  • Smith Galer has much to say against the case for putting languages out of their misery, but her focus is on a point with which even the most unsentimental can surely sympathize.
    — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • Her rigidly unsentimental mother, however, sees only urban labor and profitably arranged marriage in her future.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 July 2026
Definition of unsentimental
Adjective
  • What’s your bottom-line advice for families who want to help their children eat more fruits and vegetables?
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Both top- and bottom-line metrics beat Wall Street expectations.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 22 July 2026
Definition of bottom-line
Adjective
  • Gorgeous cinematography and a very unromantic portrayal of the grueling life of a secret agent make this a solid watch.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 29 May 2026
  • This idea was supposed to be the kind of thing that could convince even the most unromantic skeptics that space exploration was not only spiritually fulfilling, but economically advantageous.
    — Elena Saavedra Buckley, Harpers Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of unromantic
Adjective
  • For much of a six-year Tigers tenure filled with wild ups and downs, Hinch has mostly carried a consistent, levelheaded demeanor.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 19 May 2026
  • Arlo turns out to love Massive Attack and Elliott Smith, and to have a sadly levelheaded understanding of his mother’s suicide.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 May 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
  • In an article for Marie Claire, Rapinoe trotted out several common left-wing talking points aimed at scaring rational-thinking people into believing that keeping males out of women's sports is somehow bad for girls and women.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026
  • While shocking, the Australian Space Agency said there’s a completely rational, albeit cosmic, explanation.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Definition of rational
Adjective
  • With the loss of local NBC affiliates, Telemundo, nine regional sports channels, and 32 national channels, Fubo made the sensible but rare decision to lower subscription prices in December.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
  • Roseman’s decision to bring back Goedert and pair him with a draft pick (second-round pick Eli Stowers) and inexpensive free agents was a more sensible solution.
    — Zach Berman, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of sensible
Adjective
  • Sholl also notes that the largest station groups may not immediately rush to buy competitors because many of the most logical acquirers are already shouldering a lot of debt.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 23 July 2026
  • At a glance, de-normalizing alcohol consumption seems like a logical next step after cracking down on smoking.
    — Tim Brinkhof, Time, 23 July 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 24 Jul. 2026.

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