How to Use hard-and-fast in a Sentence

hard-and-fast

adjective
  • But the truth is that 30 percent ceiling isn’t a hard-and-fast rule.
    — Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023
  • There are no hard-and-fast rules about how much to tip anywhere, of course.
    — Emily Heil, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
  • Though there are no hard-and-fast rules for breakfast casseroles, here are six easy steps to help you along.
    — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024
  • There are hard-and-fast rules—and then there's common courtesy.
    — Bobby Laurie, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2023
  • Following the rhyme isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, but more of a starting point to fill out your board.
    — Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 26 Sep. 2024
  • Both Chris and Ines don’t believe there are any hard-and-fast rules with pork.
    — Bon Appétit, 30 Oct. 2024
  • But sticking within a color scheme is no hard-and-fast rule.
    — Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024
  • As for tipping, concierges say there really is no hard-and-fast rule.
    — Jennifer Bradley Franklin, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2023
  • The only hard-and-fast rule is that the audience is not permitted inside the fight.
    — Joshua Needelman, Curbed, 1 Nov. 2023
  • Think of the itinerary below as guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules, and feel free to add your own spin to your Grand Strand getaway.
    — Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2025
  • There are no hard-and-fast recommendations for how much colostrum to take.
    — Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 2 July 2024
  • After all, weddings are unique to every couple, so there aren’t always hard-and-fast rules to fall back on.
    — Jennifer Adams, StyleCaster, 22 Oct. 2024
  • But remember, there are no hard-and-fast rules on deer behavior.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2022
  • But suppose we are faced with something that doesn’t have a hard-and-fast definition.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
  • About the age guidelines Our kids thought that the age recommendations might be more of a suggestion than a hard-and-fast rule, though.
    — Julia Pelly, Parents, 24 Oct. 2023
  • This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, and everyone has different fluid needs.
    — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 25 July 2023
  • Instead of having a hard-and-fast 60-second rule, experts said to focus on a few key factors.
    — Cathy Cassata, Health, 25 Feb. 2025
  • But three months is not a hard-and-fast rule—in some cases, depression can strike years after a stroke, Dr. Cronenwett said.
    — Julia Ries, Health, 17 Feb. 2023
  • So there’s really no hard-and-fast number, Angelone says.
    — Women's Health, 20 July 2023
  • Cass says that this hard-and-fast philosophy can be far too limiting.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2024
  • In the absence of hard-and-fast rules from Congress, the U.S. has proven to be one of the most active enforcers of penalties and legal challenges against crypto companies.
    — Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 19 July 2024
  • Though there aren’t any hard-and-fast rules for planning a road trip — that’s the beauty of this type of travel — there are a few best practices to keep in mind when heading to the mountains of North Carolina.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2024
  • But as engines have grown more efficient and oil formulas have improved, that rule of thumb is no longer a hard-and-fast requirement.
    — Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025
  • Ultimately, going dairy-free is less about hard-and-fast nutrition and more about exploring the options that work best for you and your body.
    — Karina Hoshikawa, refinery29.com, 2 Jan. 2024
  • The duo found that, starting in the population born after 1910, there wasn’t such a hard-and-fast age where mortality increased alongside age.
    — Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 14 Apr. 2023
  • Medicine, dentistry, accounting—don’t have these hard-and-fast ownership rules.
    — Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
  • While there are no hard-and-fast rules for makeup, referencing the color wheel is always a good place to start (and perhaps a nostalgic reminder of grade school art class).
    — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The key is being open and empathetic, and opting for a dialogue instead of presenting hard-and-fast rules.
    — Taylor Grothe, Parents, 29 Jan. 2025
  • The key is being open and empathetic, and opting for a dialogue instead of presenting hard-and-fast rules.
    — Taylor Grothe, Parents, 29 Jan. 2025
  • Still, Bontempo says wound regeneration varies from person to person, so there's no hard-and-fast rule about how slow is too slow for something to heal.
    — Christine Byrne, Women's Health, 29 Aug. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hard-and-fast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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