1
2
of pornography
: containing explicit descriptions of sex acts or scenes of actual sex acts compare soft-core
3
: characterized by or being the purest or most basic form of something : fundamental
a room gussied up in hard-core French provincial style—
John Canaday
John Canaday1
: a central or fundamental and usually enduring group or part: such as
a
: a relatively small enduring core of society marked by apparent resistance to change or inability to escape a persistent wretched condition (such as poverty or chronic unemployment)
b
: a militant or fiercely loyal faction
2
usually hardcore
chiefly British
: hard material in pieces (such as broken bricks or stone) used as a bottom (as in making roads and in foundations)
Synonyms
Examples of hard-core in a Sentence
Noun
He knows that he can count on the support of a hard core of party loyalists.
Recent Examples on the WebIsaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2023
More than a week into the trial, the prosecution’s case doesn’t appear to be driven by the kind of bombshell revelations that might sway hard-core Paxton supporters.
—Morgan O'Hanlon, The New Republic, 14 Sep. 2023
Welcome to Shangri-la for the hard-core adventurer—especially one who still appreciates all the high-touch comforts of a luxury resort.
—Josh Condon, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2023
From the view out the windshield to its cacophony of wild engine sounds to its butt-kicking performance, the MC20 is made for hard-core enthusiast drivers with the money to indulge themselves in a car with overwhelming character.
—Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 6 Sep. 2023
That’s a problem because the most hard-core racers are tempted to speed up and take their chances.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2023
But that also means that AMG’s version is—on paper, at least—less of a hard-core sports car than the outgoing model.
—Angus MacKenzie, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2023
Palazzo Fiuggi has an array of spa programs, but what caught my eye was a seven-day intensive in partnership with the Ranch, the famed Malibu, California, health center known for its hard-core approach.
—Rachael McKeon, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2023
Read full article When the frost begins to fade, hard-core outdoor bathers turn on the water to begin the season.
—Beth Treffeisen, BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2023
Mike Freeman, USA TODAY, 27 June 2023
Tical 2000 is state-of-the-art East Coast hardcore, with dirty beats and creepy sonics by the likes of Mobb Deep’s Havoc, Erick Sermon, and Wu visionary RZA.
—Chris Norris, SPIN, 27 June 2023
The band formed in 2009, and have been evolving their brand of caustic but deeply fun hardcore through a series of lineup changes.
—Zhenzhen Yu, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2023
What used to be the clinic’s waiting room now has a small stage where punk and hardcore bands come to play.
—Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 23 June 2023
Since then, even as so much else has happened, that hard core hasn’t shifted.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2023
Brittany and Tyler first started dating in 2018 after crushing hardcore on each other from a distance.
—Korin Miller, Women's Health, 10 June 2023
Geoff, lyrically, was really influenced by DC hardcore bands – obviously Fugazi, also stuff like Q and Not U, a lot of bands that had like a deeper, more intelligent message.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 6 June 2023
During Chisel’s initial run, that frantic, frenzied approach was a natural fit for a band that had its roots in hardcore: Leo and Dugan had spent the late ’80s in Citizens Arrest and Indian Summer, respectively.
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 10 May 2023
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Adjective
But in recent years, that relationship has, to some extent, broken down, because some of the hard-core faith groups have become, in some ways, apolitical.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2023
More than a week into the trial, the prosecution’s case doesn’t appear to be driven by the kind of bombshell revelations that might sway hard-core Paxton supporters.
—Morgan O'Hanlon, The New Republic, 14 Sep. 2023
Welcome to Shangri-la for the hard-core adventurer—especially one who still appreciates all the high-touch comforts of a luxury resort.
—Josh Condon, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2023
From the view out the windshield to its cacophony of wild engine sounds to its butt-kicking performance, the MC20 is made for hard-core enthusiast drivers with the money to indulge themselves in a car with overwhelming character.
—Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 6 Sep. 2023
That’s a problem because the most hard-core racers are tempted to speed up and take their chances.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2023
But that also means that AMG’s version is—on paper, at least—less of a hard-core sports car than the outgoing model.
—Angus MacKenzie, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2023
Palazzo Fiuggi has an array of spa programs, but what caught my eye was a seven-day intensive in partnership with the Ranch, the famed Malibu, California, health center known for its hard-core approach.
—Rachael McKeon, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2023
Read full article When the frost begins to fade, hard-core outdoor bathers turn on the water to begin the season.
—Beth Treffeisen, BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2023
Noun
Steelers: Knowledgeable, hard core and travels everywhere with the team.
—Mike Freeman, USA TODAY, 27 June 2023
Tical 2000 is state-of-the-art East Coast hardcore, with dirty beats and creepy sonics by the likes of Mobb Deep’s Havoc, Erick Sermon, and Wu visionary RZA.
—Chris Norris, SPIN, 27 June 2023
The band formed in 2009, and have been evolving their brand of caustic but deeply fun hardcore through a series of lineup changes.
—Zhenzhen Yu, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2023
What used to be the clinic’s waiting room now has a small stage where punk and hardcore bands come to play.
—Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 23 June 2023
Since then, even as so much else has happened, that hard core hasn’t shifted.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2023
Brittany and Tyler first started dating in 2018 after crushing hardcore on each other from a distance.
—Korin Miller, Women's Health, 10 June 2023
Geoff, lyrically, was really influenced by DC hardcore bands – obviously Fugazi, also stuff like Q and Not U, a lot of bands that had like a deeper, more intelligent message.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 6 June 2023
During Chisel’s initial run, that frantic, frenzied approach was a natural fit for a band that had its roots in hardcore: Leo and Dugan had spent the late ’80s in Citizens Arrest and Indian Summer, respectively.
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 10 May 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hard-core.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Hard-core.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard-core. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
hard core
noun1
: an unchanging and lasting central part
2
: a small number of aggressive members of a group
hard-core
adjective
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