hard core

¹ American  

noun

1. the permanent, dedicated, and completely faithful nucleus of a group or movement, as of a political party.

2. an unyielding or intransigent element in a social or organizational structure, as that part of a group consisting of longtime adherents or those resistant to change.

3. those whose condition seems to be without hope of remedy or change.

4. Usually hardcore a form of punk rock or other nonmainstream popular music played in an intense, harsh, and fast style with more emphasis on rhythm than on melody.

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hard-core ² American  

[hahrd-kawr, -kohr] / ˈhɑrdˈkɔr, -ˈkoʊr /

Or hardcore

adjective

1. unswervingly committed; uncompromising; dedicated.

   a hard-core segregationist.

2. relating to or containing sexually arousing depictions that are very graphic or explicit.

   hard-core pornography.

3. being so without apparent change or remedy; chronic.

   hard-core inflation; hard-core unemployment.

4. very intense or extreme.

   hard-core workouts at the gym.

5. Usually hardcore noting or relating to the music genre hardcore, or the subculture, clothing style, etc., associated with it.

   hardcore t-shirts and jeans.

6. noting or relating to video games that can only be mastered with advanced skill and are played in longer sessions, or noting a player of such games.

   hard-core gaming.

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hard core British  

noun

1. the members of a group or movement who form an intransigent nucleus resisting change

2. material, such as broken bricks, stones, etc, used to form a foundation for a road, paving, building, etc

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adjective

1. (of pornography) describing or depicting sexual acts in explicit detail

2. extremely committed or fanatical

   a hard-core Communist

Etymology

Origin of hard core¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Origin of hard-core¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Many inside the movement said it should be less confrontational and disruptive but a hard core of activists argued it would be more effective to double down on direct action.

From BBC

Back in the old days, shoppers would find coupons in their Sunday newspaper, and hard core couponers would buy several papers to maximize value.

From Salon

In new research, we argue that there is an identifiable hard core of extremely loyal Trump supporters that comprise his personality cult.

From Salon

It needed to be "absolutely hard core" about cost reduction, he wrote in a memo first reported by The Information.

From BBC

Trump gets a pass from the hard core supporters if women are enslaved if the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

From Salon

Related Words

• devoted
• die-hard
• staunch