hard-nosed

Or hard·nosed

[hahrd-nohzd]

adjective

Informal.

1. hardheaded or tough; unsentimentally practical.

   a hard-nosed labor leader.

   Synonyms: inflexible, stubborn, rigid, intractable, down-to-earth, realistic

hard-nosed

adjective

1. informal,  tough, shrewd, and practical

Word History and Origins

Origin of hard-nosed¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Related Words

• hard-boiled 
• hardheaded 
• no-nonsense 
• tough-minded 
• uncompromising