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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Son Hee is one half of a ruthless twin assassin duo, working alongside his brother Bacho.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
-
Her 6-0, 6-0 rout at the hands of a ruthless Iga Świątek was a reminder that no sport is more psychologically brutal than tennis.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
If you’re just getting started with rebounding and want something compact and easy to use (that doesn’t cost a small fortune), here’s a smart entry point.—
Jordan Galloway,
SELF,
15 July 2025
-
If your primary goal is to maximize workspace while ensuring your computer can grow with your needs, a mini-PC paired with a quality monitor is a smarter, longer-lasting solution.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Private equity moving into professional sports conjures the same fears of merciless efficiency in an industry driven by sentimentality, but Arougheti brushes off the concerns, arguing that institutional capital will increase profitability and allow owners to invest more in their teams.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
21 July 2025
-
Beyond the numbers is the human toll of Trump’s merciless campaign.—
South Florida Sun Sentinel,
Sun Sentinel,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
Flash mobs in the Loop are a real problem demanding hardheaded solutions.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2025
-
British officials know this and sometimes despair that their country has not found a way to be more hardheaded.—
Sam Knight,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The expectation is that the AGI and ASI would be computationally astute enough to decide when the AI maker is offering proper instructions versus improper ones.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
And while the Lynx are also offensively astute, their production on that end jumps to new heights when the opportunities are derived from defensive success.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
Contributing: Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
-
Similarly, the winning formula behind Mamdani’s campaign – savvy use of social media – is not particularly hard for other progressive candidates to replicate.—
Douglas Schoen,
Oc Register,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
Though plot details for Wake Up Dead Man remain tightly under wraps, audiences can expect the return of the shrewd detective parsing through yet another murderous mystery.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
12 July 2025
-
But even with that in mind, this was a shrewd bet for the Rangers to make for a couple of reasons.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Colbert brought a sharper, politically critical timbre.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
-
Over time, whites grew increasingly uneasy about submitting to Black barbers wielding sharp instruments.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hard-boiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-boiled. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share