1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
a hard-boiled Puritan schoolmaster who was as unyielding as New England granite
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
made the hard-boiled business decision to downsize the company, thereby costing thousands of longtime employees their jobs
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of hard-boiled
In a smaller pot of water over high heat, boil eggs, covered, until just hard-boiled, 7 minutes, then run under cold water.
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Aleksandra Crapanzano, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2023
For lunch or dinner, top a salad with scrambled or hard-boiled eggs.
—Amanda MacMillan, Health, 1 Mar. 2023
This is outback noir — oblique, secretive and as hard-boiled as the ground is hard-baked — and Sen wears it well.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 Feb. 2023
As Detective Munch, Mr. Belzer was brainy but hard-boiled, cynical but sensitive.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2023
Aleksandra Crapanzano, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2023
For lunch or dinner, top a salad with scrambled or hard-boiled eggs.
—Amanda MacMillan, Health, 1 Mar. 2023
This is outback noir — oblique, secretive and as hard-boiled as the ground is hard-baked — and Sen wears it well.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 Feb. 2023
As Detective Munch, Mr. Belzer was brainy but hard-boiled, cynical but sensitive.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-boiled
Adjective
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The techno is deafening, but Walker, who went on these trips herself before starting her career as a cinematographer, dances us through the chaos with ruthless resolve.Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
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Paramount+ In Star Trek lore, Klingons are rugged, ruthless warriors.Carlos Mejia, PCMAG, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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This includes smart TVs, non-gaming laptops, phones, tablets or third party gaming devices.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
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Smart money is on those building a future that includes a smart shorts programming strategy.Paul Pastor, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The woman doubts what is happening to her, doubts her surroundings, doubts her recent experiences, but the boy urges her on, merciless.Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
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But the ruthless cleaning up of those streets and merciless treatment of gang members have triggered outrage and concern among human rights organizations, which have condemned Cecot as inhumane and unacceptable.David Culver, CNN, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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When Buck resigned, the conservative cited a flank of the Republican Party’s hardheaded politics and unwavering devotion to Trump — traits that made Boebert a name brand.Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
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There’s a poignancy in this confession, but also a hardheaded aspect.Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 2 June 2024
Adjective
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Haunted by an investigation that went unsolved years ago, the aged and beleaguered yet incredibly astute Deke is drawn back into the world of homicide after teaming up with the young, driven, idealistic Jim Baxter (Malek).Travis Bean, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
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The Polish festival could hardly ask for a jury chair more astute to the nuances of craft behind the camera as well as in front of it.Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Its savvy advertising often featured armadillos, and in Austin the brand is still associated with the Armadillo World Headquarters and the concert posters from that era.Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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Without question, savvy bucks learn how to detect danger within their environment.Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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People And Beliefs About Angels The shrewdest place to begin an exploration of whether generative AI and large language models (LLMs) ought to believe in angels is best undertaken by considering the overall nature of human beliefs.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
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Schrader keeps things straight for viewers through the use of shrewd visual cues.Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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BeReal, the social media app that championed authenticity, has been in sharp decline since its explosive growth in 2022.Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024
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The policy modestly increased subsidized enrollment in 2018 and 2019 after a sharp decline in 2017.Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hard-boiled
Cite this Entry
“Hard-boiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-boiled. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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