Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for hard-nosed

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
“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


Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of hard-nosed1

First recorded in 1885–90
Discover More

Example Sentences

Normally an air accident investigation would involve a swarm of hard-nosed engineers and scientists poring over wreckage.

Hard-nosed criticism is squeezed out by soft stories, gossip and fluff.

“Politics is a hard-nosed game, and the right has been playing Marquess of Queensbury Rules for a long time on this,” he said.

Documents released by the British archives reveal Thatcher as a hard-nosed opponent of Israel's West Bank settlement project.

To me this would demonstrate a hard-nosed determination that all citizens should find frightening.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


hard-nosehard nut to crack