Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

hard core

1 American  

noun

  1. the permanent, dedicated, and completely faithful nucleus of a group or movement, as of a political party.

  2. an unyielding or intransigent element in a social or organizational structure, as that part of a group consisting of longtime adherents or those resistant to change.

  3. those whose condition seems to be without hope of remedy or change.

  4. Usually hardcore a form of punk rock or other nonmainstream popular music played in an intense, harsh, and fast style with more emphasis on rhythm than on melody.

hard-core 2 American  
[hahrd-kawr, -kohr] / ˈhɑrdˈkɔr, -ˈkoʊr /
Or hardcore

adjective

  1. unswervingly committed; uncompromising; dedicated.

    a hard-core segregationist.

  2. relating to or containing sexually arousing depictions that are very graphic or explicit.

    hard-core pornography.

  3. being so without apparent change or remedy; chronic.

    hard-core inflation; hard-core unemployment.

  4. very intense or extreme.

    hard-core workouts at the gym.

  5. Usually hardcore noting or relating to the music genre hardcore, or the subculture, clothing style, etc., associated with it.

    hardcore t-shirts and jeans.

  6. noting or relating to video games that can only be mastered with advanced skill and are played in longer sessions, or noting a player of such games.

    hard-core gaming.
hard core British  

noun

  1. the members of a group or movement who form an intransigent nucleus resisting change

  2. material, such as broken bricks, stones, etc, used to form a foundation for a road, paving, building, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. (of pornography) describing or depicting sexual acts in explicit detail

  2. extremely committed or fanatical

    a hard-core Communist
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hard core1

First recorded in 1935–40

Origin of hard-core2

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Many inside the movement said it should be less confrontational and disruptive but a hard core of activists argued it would be more effective to double down on direct action.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2025

Back in the old days, shoppers would find coupons in their Sunday newspaper, and hard core couponers would buy several papers to maximize value.

From Salon • Feb. 11, 2025

“There is a hard core of voters on both sides who think this is great.”

From Seattle Times • Jun. 19, 2023

“Those who are able to go hard core and play to win, Twitter is a good place,” he said.

From New York Times • Nov. 11, 2022

The Hispanic Center catering job is hard core.

From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.