: advocating or involving a rigidly uncompromising course of action
hard-liner noun

Examples of hard-line in a Sentence

a hard-line approach to the sentencing of repeat offenders
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His recent actions include pushing hard-line immigration policies and making Florida the first state to recognize Trump's executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025 New freedoms flourish Initial fears among Syrians of revenge attacks by the hard-line HTS, or of the repression of religious minorities after the Dec. 8 toppling of Alawite dictator Bashar al-Assad, have not come to pass. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Feb. 2025 The pushback from centrists is a change of pace, as hard-line conservatives and budget hawks in the House Freedom Caucus are typically the thorns in Johnson’s side. Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Feb. 2025 Trump is a hard-line nationalist who pursues power, profit, and unilateral advantage. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hard-line

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard-line was in 1903

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Cite this Entry

“Hard-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard-line. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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