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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 novel also takes an unsentimental look at Jamaica, a country that, let the Sandals ads tell it, is mostly pristine beaches, jerk chicken, and Bob Marley’s One Love on a perpetual loop.
    — Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The affect of these books—brisk, unsentimental, exacting—serves their diagnosis.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsentimental
Adjective
  • Disputing the very right of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, New York AG Letitia James and others to raise an antitrust stink, the Todd Blanche-run DOJ made its bottom-line POV a top line in paperwork filed Tuesday in federal court.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The company went public in July with top- and bottom-line increases, plenty of room to grow overseas and at home and a strong sustainability message.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of bottom-line
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of unromantic
Adjective
  • 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
  • The group consists of levelheaded leader Blossom, sweet-natured Bubbles, and spunky Buttercup.
    — Oliver Gettell, Entertainment Weekly, 26 July 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
  • Clearly, the most mutually beneficial option is for neither rational actor to talk.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Elliptic curves of rank 0, for example, have only a finite number of rational points.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of rational
Adjective
  • Hardware or firmware that has already been used and studied in academic or institutional settings can be a sensible place to start, particularly when there is published technical evidence and an experienced user community behind it.
    — Aaron Timm, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The three writers attempted to balance overall talent with building a sensible basketball team.
    — Victor Wembanyama, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of sensible
Adjective
  • Morris contributed a logical note to sneaky goings-on, and Lupus made his silent bit seem credible.
    — Ed Olmstead, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • These athletes, many of whom are 22 or 23 years old, have logical reasons to extend their collegiate sports careers into their mid-20s or beyond.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 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 19 Sep. 2026.

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