as in strict
not allowing for any exceptions or loosening of standards
a hard-line approach to the sentencing of repeat offenders
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Recent Examples of hard-line
Immigrants residing in the country illegally and legally, with valid documentation such as green cards and visas, have been detained under hard-line mass deportation plans.
—
Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
But given the fierce hard-line opposition and the leadership’s fear of the potential domestic consequences of surrendering to Israel and the United States, that is very unlikely.
—Robert J. Einhorn, Foreign Affairs, 29 Aug. 2025
There was no hard-line negotiating.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 17 Aug. 2025
This position placed Tajzadeh on the front lines of the battle over democratization that unfolded between Khatami’s government and the hard-line establishment that eventually defeated it.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-line
Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
But given the fierce hard-line opposition and the leadership’s fear of the potential domestic consequences of surrendering to Israel and the United States, that is very unlikely.
—Robert J. Einhorn, Foreign Affairs, 29 Aug. 2025
There was no hard-line negotiating.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 17 Aug. 2025
This position placed Tajzadeh on the front lines of the battle over democratization that unfolded between Khatami’s government and the hard-line establishment that eventually defeated it.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hard-line
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-line
Adjective
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Without a strict hierarchy or single decision-maker, our process can sometimes be slow, messy, or even tiring.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
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At too many colleges, leaders have been reluctant to impose strict rules or harsh penalties for chatbot use, passing the buck to professors to come up with their own policies.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For the next six years, Kira endured a rigorous drug treatment regime and was frequently in and out of hospitals.—
Ruchi Kumar,
NPR,
14 Sep. 2025
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During a break in the rigorous shooting schedule for the limited series, which also stars Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden, Partridge was able to squeeze in the trip with old college friends.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-line. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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