hard hat

¹ American  

noun

1. a protective helmet of metal or plastic, especially as worn by construction or factory workers.

2. a uniformed soldier of a regular army, as opposed to a guerrilla.

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hard-hat ² American  

[hahrd-hat] / ˈhɑrdˌhæt /

Or hardhat

noun

Informal.

1. a construction worker, especially a member of a construction workers' union.

2. a working-class conservative.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or characteristic of hard-hats.

   enlisting hard-hat support for his policies.

hard hat British  

noun

1. a hat made of a hard material for protection, worn esp by construction workers, equestrians, etc

2. informal a construction worker

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adjective

1. informal characteristic of the presumed conservative attitudes and prejudices typified by construction workers

hard hat Idioms  

1. A working-class ultraconservative. For example, They were counting on a large number of votes from the hard hats. This term alludes to the rigid protective headgear worn by construction workers, who were noted for their conservatism during the tumultuous 1960s. [c. 1960]

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Etymology

Origin of hard hat¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Origin of hard-hat²

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

When I saw her, brandishing a hard hat and trowel at a housebuilding site, there seemed no question of her going anywhere.

From BBC • Sep. 6, 2025

On nearby benches, one person in scrubs and another in a reflective vest and hard hat ate their Tupperware lunches, like some kind of Village People reboot waiting to happen.

From Slate • Aug. 13, 2025

The ads first aired in 2022 and feature CEO Patti Poppe in a company-branded hard hat while saying the company is “transforming your hometown utility from the ground up.”

From Seattle Times • Apr. 22, 2024

Clad in a hard hat, sweater vest and orange work gloves, he drives to a nearby turbine and walks up a staircase to show us the machinery inside.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2024

“Ick,” said Boots as a drop of liquid landed on Gregor’s hard hat.

From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• helmet