hard-edge

American  

[hahrd-ej] / ˈhɑrdˌɛdʒ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a style of abstract painting associated with the 1960s and marked chiefly by sharply outlined geometric or nongeometric forms.

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hard-edge British  

adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting a style of painting in which vividly coloured subjects are clearly delineated

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Etymology

Origin of hard-edge

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hard-edge

Still, some within and around the court saw him as the court’s glue, bringing levity in his interactions with his colleagues and avoiding hard-edge commentary in his opinions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Since the 1950s, key figures launched important genres, including hard-edge abstract painter John McLaughlin, harbinger of Light and Space perceptual art, and assemblage master Wallace Berman.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2025

Sonic Industrialism: Sound elements are more popular than ever, and this mode blends intangible noise with the hard-edge materials of industry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025

Dark gray walls and a sisal carpet make the perfect setting for early-2000s works by the English hard-edge painter Bridget Riley, all featuring her signature rolling, serif-like waves of lucid color.

From New York Times ● May 11, 2023

But where Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein emulated the clean, hard-edge look of commercial art, Guston continued to paint in a messy, intuitive fashion.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 18, 2023