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
  • The affect of these books—brisk, unsentimental, exacting—serves their diagnosis.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • As executed, the 2019 show is an emotional yet refreshingly unsentimental black comedy that snickers in the face of empowerment buzzwords like, well, healing journey.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsentimental
Adjective
  • This comes after shares of Target spiked last Wednesday after the retailer reported second-quarter top- and bottom-line gains and raised its outlook for the year.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Top- and bottom-line beats, including its first quarter of positive earnings-per-share (EPS) growth since 2023.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of bottom-line
Adjective
  • For 30 minutes, the hunter watched the whitetails play a cat-and-mouse game as the buck tried to stay close to the unromantic does.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of unromantic
Adjective
  • The group consists of levelheaded leader Blossom, sweet-natured Bubbles, and spunky Buttercup.
    — Oliver Gettell, Entertainment Weekly, 26 July 2026
  • 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
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
  • Often, the conspiracy theories around this case—like most conspiracy theories—are premised on rational questions.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
  • If a movie becomes available at home almost immediately, consumers have a rational reason to wait.
    — Cory Jacobson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of rational
Adjective
  • Porter calls the rule a sensible and carefully designed first step, but his argument is that protection and leadership are different things.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • This might have discouraged a sensible man from deciding to become a publisher.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of sensible
Adjective
  • Von Neumann himself helped develop it as a potential remedy for some logical inconsistencies with Hilbert space that troubled him.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
  • There is no logical world in which Sanders can be a backup to a rookie quarterback next year in Cleveland.
    — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 26 Aug. 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 29 Aug. 2026.

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