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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Example 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.
—
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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Whoever sells the most wins a car; whoever sells the least is out of a job – a ruthless environment where each character will do anything to come out on top.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2025
-
The film, inspired by the true story of a ruthless Hawaiian crime boss, promises to be a gripping portrayal of organized crime in the island paradise.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Dalman, 26, just reached the end of his rookie contract with the Atlanta Falcons and is heralded as a smart, steady lineman who can be an asset as a run blocker.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2025
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My vision remains centered on achieving justice for crime victims through effective prosecution, intervention, and the smart use of technology.—
Brenda Looper,
arkansasonline.com,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The counterpoint to Pritzker’s light touch on Schumer is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has been merciless in her disapproval of Schumer’s decision.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
19 Mar. 2025
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Alas, this humble superfood has become rare and coveted in recent years, particularly during the past couple of months due to the merciless outbreaks of avian influenza.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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At this point in a description of a possible future technology, a hardheaded engineer loses interest.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
15 Nov. 2018
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Kayce sells Yellowstone Ranch for $1.25 an acre and Elsa Dutton rises from the dead to declare victory Kayce cryptically suggested the Yellowstone sale at the end of last week's episode, and the hardheaded financial wonder Beth loved the idea.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA TODAY,
16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Pelosi, 84, is serving her 20th term representing her San Francisco district in Congress and is seen by many as one of the most astute and impressive American political leaders in modern times.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
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Andrews' nuanced design of P.L. Travers' creation is an astute, mellifluous, and delightfully intimidating creature of talent and propriety — and as the world would realize, so, too, was Andrews.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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After making a few savvy moves on Monday, the Vikings wasted very little time making a splash on Tuesday.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
11 Mar. 2025
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Coco needs to recreate hundreds of old landscapes and portraits of dead presidents, then Holden and his savvy trophy wife Talia (Eva De Dominici) have to slowly sell them two and three at a time to local art dealers to avoid flooding the market and raising eyebrows.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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These people painted a picture of a shrewd capitalist, making practical calculations to protect his businesses.—
Ashley Belanger,
Ars Technica,
20 Mar. 2025
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Their shrewd negotiators would undoubtedly invoke American precedent to subdivide their political entities.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Danny Elfman Helped Jenna Ortega With Her Cello Playing On Wednesday Lucky for Jenna Ortega, Tim Burton’s longtime music collaborator Danny Elfman was able to step in to help the actor learn the instrument with sharp precision.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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This included everything from gauzy and sheer dresses, to sharp tailoring and suits.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
23 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard-boiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-boiled. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
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