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
  • Her rigidly unsentimental mother, however, sees only urban labor and profitably arranged marriage in her future.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 July 2026
  • On intergenerational wealth, Griffin offered a strikingly unsentimental view.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 July 2026
Definition of unsentimental
Adjective
  • Shares dipped more than 2% after the airline's second-quarter earnings beat top- and bottom-line estimates.
    — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 10 July 2026
  • The pros expect no let-up in bottom-line growth, and with Comfort Systems paying out just 7% of this year’s earnings estimates, there’s no reason to expect any let-up in the distribution.
    — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 5 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
  • While shocking, the Australian Space Agency said there’s a completely rational, albeit cosmic, explanation.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • But for now, the decline of reading seems to be ushering in a less rational, analytical, and sophisticated mode of thinking.
    — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Definition of rational
Adjective
  • That victory led, four years later, to the Coastal Act and creation of the Coastal Commission, whose job was to balance sensible development, habitat protection and conservation, and equitable public access.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Doctors need to know enough to have sensible, guiding conversations with their patients about dosage and consumption, among other things.
    — Peter Grinspoon, STAT, 9 July 2026
Definition of sensible
Adjective
  • Gatewood agrees that Chessy was a logical addition from the Wonderland canon.
    — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026
  • Jeff Hettick, vice president of Agile Mission Systems at GA-ASI, said adapting those capabilities to maritime operations was a logical next step.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 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 17 Jul. 2026.

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