hard-nosed

American  

[hahrd-nohzd] / ˈhɑrdˌnoʊzd /

Or hardnosed

adjective

Informal.

1. hardheaded or tough; unsentimentally practical.

   a hard-nosed labor leader.

   Synonyms:

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

---

hard-nosed British  

adjective

1. informal tough, shrewd, and practical

---

Etymology

Origin of hard-nosed

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hard-nosed

Zhu also developed a reputation as a hard-nosed opponent of corruption, which he once described as one of China's most pressing problems.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

Also a no-brainer for Nolan was his choice of Matt Damon, who’d had a key role in “Interstellar” and was hard-nosed master builder Gen. Leslie Groves in “Oppenheimer,” to play Odysseus.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

Opinion will be divided on his decision to substitute Kinsky after only 17 minutes, between a coach saving the keeper from himself or a hard-nosed act that might kill a young player's career.

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026

It was a hard-nosed faith, but they kept faith, and they got to Brown v.

From Slate ● Mar. 4, 2026

But he had been one hell of a runner, tough as leather, hard-nosed, and people around town still remembered him for that as if it had happened yesterday.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Related Words

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