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
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.
—
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 lawyer who normally practices in New York is gregarious, quick with a joke and always happy to talk to the media, but can be ruthless in cross-examination.—
Andrew Dalton,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2025
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City are going through some stuff, Arsenal aren’t ruthless enough, Chelsea are wobbling, teams will figure out how to beat Nottingham Forest soon enough, Newcastle are the form team now but are an Alexander Isak injury away from trouble.—
Carl Anka,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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That led to his breakout success with The Elephant Man, starring John Hurt as the friendly and smart but disfigured title character in Victorian England and Anthony Hopkins as the doctor who tries to treat him.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
16 Jan. 2025
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Best Packing Essentials Deals For frequent travelers, packing smart is important, and these products can make all the difference.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The community that had long been home to hundreds of entertainment industry workers was engulfed by a wildfire whipped into a merciless inferno by 80-mile an hour winds.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
13 Jan. 2025
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Scarcity of food and clean water have become merciless tormentors, and the numbers tell a story that words cannot fully convey.—
Daphne Ewing-Chow,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 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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While Dortmund retain a reputation as astute talent-spotters able to generate vast profits by identifying outstanding potential, there are few players at the club now — English winger Jamie Gittens aside — who belong in that category.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
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The Franklin Effect: Turning Critics Into Allies One of Franklin’s most astute political strategies was his ability to turn rivals into allies.—
Michael Sheldrick,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Bateman is an effortless runner and is savvy and precise with his routes.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
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Not every brilliant offensive mind has the leadership savvy of, say, Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan.—
Dan Wiederer,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Caps were shrewd sellers, as The Athletic's Shayna Goldman recently wrote about, Penguins were buyers.—
Rob Rossi,
The Athletic,
18 Jan. 2025
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Growing up in tension, fearing a parent’s volatility, can leave a young person with painful but shrewd premonitions about possible danger and with acute impulses to protection.—
Mikal Gilmore,
Rolling Stone,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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And some lots are still empty, the grass from winter rains wafting in the wind, along with the sharp echoes of hammers and nail guns.—
Jessica Garrison,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2025
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Sánchez wasn’t as sharp in July and August, then finished strong in September and authored a suitable start in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Mets.—
Matt Gelb,
The Athletic,
22 Jan. 2025
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 28 Jan. 2025.
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