TOUGH-MINDED Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

tough-minded

adjective

Definition of tough-minded

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

Adjective

Yet Gabriele is notably unsentimental about the prestige attached to any particular stockist.

— Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
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

Definition of unsentimental

Adjective

Without data, your marketing partner is measuring in a vacuum and only providing you with metrics of their marketing efforts, rather than measuring those efforts against bottom-line results.

— Samantha Scott, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Heather Diehl | Getty Images Shares of Intel are 3% higher this morning after the company beat top- and bottom-line expectations for the second quarter.

— Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 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

His research now reveals revenge operates like an addiction in the brain, activating craving and reward centers while silencing rational thought.

— Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
The pair’s mysterious interactions in the early chapters give way to a series of parables of doubt and belief, in which a rational character is confronted by an irrational event—and immediately convinced of its absolute truth.

— Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Definition of rational

Adjective

The pumps are designed with a delicate almond toe, a conservative high-cut vamp, and a sensible heel, measuring around three inches.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 July 2026
Every notetaker that joins a meeting traces back to a reasonably sensible individual choice to keep a credible set of notes in an endless sea of meetings.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 24 July 2026

Definition of sensible

Adjective

More importantly, the researchers found that the effective logical error rate was 10 times lower than the physical error rate.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026
The Cardinals needed an available reliever more than a starter recovering from a 77-pitch appearance, making Dobbins the logical roster casualty despite his otherwise solid work during his first extended opportunity in the major leagues.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of logical

Browse Nearby Words

toughly

tough-minded

toughness

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“Tough-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tough-minded. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of tough-minded

adjective

Example Sentences

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