as in sturdy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure
a hard-bitten Apache chief who could endure the scorching heat of the Arizona desert
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Recent Examples of hard-bitten
Her hard-bitten, cynical persona provides a nice juxtaposition to how maudlin so much commentary about motherhood can be.
—
Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
But the sentiments are the razors in the apples: hard-bitten, painful, wise from disappointment, and braced for the next crisis.
—Spin Team, SPIN, 28 Nov. 2024
Alaska has devolved into a colony of big oil, and its politics have become so closed, hard-bitten, and strident.
—Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2015
Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
But the sentiments are the razors in the apples: hard-bitten, painful, wise from disappointment, and braced for the next crisis.
—Spin Team, SPIN, 28 Nov. 2024
Alaska has devolved into a colony of big oil, and its politics have become so closed, hard-bitten, and strident.
—Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-bitten
Adjective
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The 28-meter (92-foot) tall maypole was lifted horizontally on wooden carts and pulled into the village by two sturdy horses from the local beer brewery.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
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These knives also feature a sturdy spine for extra heft and durability.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
In addition to being hardy and low-maintenance, spicebush is a beautiful addition to landscapes.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Lavender is a hardy perennial that thrives in full sun with minimal watering.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Jessica Chmielewski, Colleen Gartlan and Ella Riordan led a strong defensive effort in front of Noone.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Set one clear boundary today and confirm expectations so your commitments stay strong and manageable.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Waves of silicon, metal, and concrete would spoil views of Sardinia’s stunning beaches, rugged mountains, ancient pastures, and idyllic medieval villages, after all.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
-
Crews are also using multiple techniques in the rugged terrain, including rim trail scanning, walk-down routes into the canyon, technical rope insertions, aerial reconnaissance flights and drone operations, park officials said.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Chase Meidroth made a shuffle toss to second base for a force out, but the Sox couldn’t complete what would have been a tough double play.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Our legislators must make some tough decisions; avoiding the issues is not acceptable.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
With Hathaway as a hardened journalist who haplessly lands herself into the center of a conflict in El Salvador, the film is somewhat at sea, allowing itself and the audience to get swept away by an unmoored plot.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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That step would signal a change in how the military plans to counter hardened and time-sensitive targets in the region.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After a brief interlude of distracted play, the game got vigorous and testy.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
-
Compact determinate tomato varieties, such as ‘Patio’, require much less space than a vigorous indeterminate grape tomato, such as ‘Valentine’.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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At 5-foot-8 and 220 pounds, Coleman certainly has the right frame to be stout in pass protection.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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The short and stout table lamp is positively good enough to eat.—
Francesca Perry,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hard-bitten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-bitten. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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