hard-nosed
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The stock market isn’t convinced that will happen, but more hard-nosed bond investors could spoil the party.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Zhu also developed a reputation as a hard-nosed opponent of corruption, which he once described as one of China's most pressing problems.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Also a no-brainer for Nolan was his choice of Matt Damon, who’d had a key role in “Interstellar” and was hard-nosed master builder Gen. Leslie Groves in “Oppenheimer,” to play Odysseus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
The Gunners would, in all likelihood, end up as unpopular, unloved champions as their hard-nosed approach comes under increasingly unflattering scrutiny.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
Will Bates was Gary Edwards’s teacher in algebra II, which seemed amazing given the fact that Edwards was a Carter Cowboy and Bates was a hard-nosed grader who made no bones about flunking kids.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
