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• hard line
  hard line

  noun

  an uncompromising or unyielding stand, especially in politics.
• hard-line
  hard-line

  adjective

  adhering rigidly to a dogma, theory, or plan; uncompromising or unyielding.

hard line

¹ American  

noun

1. an uncompromising or unyielding stand, especially in politics.

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hard-line ² American  

[hahrd-lahyn] / ˈhɑrdˌlaɪn /

Or hardline

adjective

1. adhering rigidly to a dogma, theory, or plan; uncompromising or unyielding.

   hard-line union demands.

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hard line British  

noun

1. 1. an uncompromising course or policy

   2.  hardline.  ( as modifier )

      a hardline policy

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hard line Idioms  

1. A firm, uncompromising policy or position. For example, The President was taking a hard line on the budget. [c. 1960]

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Other Word Forms

• hardliner
  noun

Etymology

Origin of hard line¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Origin of hard-line²

An Americanism dating back to 1960–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hard line hard-line

However, it’s hard to believe that a megacorporation like Disney, which now essentially owns and controls all major media marketed to children, would draw a hard line at the smart device.

From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026

He is trailed by right-wing candidates Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia, both of whom have pledged to take a hard line against rebel groups.

From Barron's ● Apr. 25, 2026

Its delegation in the talks includes officials known for taking an especially hard line with the West.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026

Months later, the US made a U-turn on the hard line stance, issuing 600,000 Chinese student visas as Washington and Beijing engaged in trade talks.

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026

The NSA’s new director was in favor of the new policy, taking the hard line that “All official cryptanalysis is a type of activity that should be protected no matter how old it has become.”

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Murrill’s hard-line tactics, particularly in Brooks’ case, stand out among her peers in other states, said Jeffrey Gutman, a professor emeritus at the George Washington University Law School and a national expert on compensation funds.

From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026

President Reagan, saying he is “a bit wiser” after two failed attempts to put a hard-line conservative on the Supreme Court, today picked federal appeals Judge Anthony M.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

A bar owner has said he is taking a "hard-line stance" on applications put in by parents trying to get jobs for their children.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

But that same day, religious leaders across the country called for a hard-line approach to unapproved maritime traffic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

It messed her up for a few days, and she had to give herself the hard-line lectures all over again.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Related Words

• hard-core
• militant
• staunch
• uncompromising
• unyielding