hard-nosed

American  

[hahrd-nohzd] / ˈhɑrdˌnoʊzd /

Or hardnosed

adjective

Informal.

1. hardheaded or tough; unsentimentally practical.

   a hard-nosed labor leader.

   Synonyms:

   inflexible, stubborn, rigid, intractable, down-to-earth, realistic

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hard-nosed British  

adjective

1. informal tough, shrewd, and practical

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Etymology

Origin of hard-nosed

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Military training prepared him for the hard-nosed politics of running for city council in Jersey City, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

It was a hard-nosed faith, but they kept faith, and they got to Brown v.

From Slate • Mar. 4, 2026

Park’s hard-nosed approach to his themes, his ability to elicit strong performances and his deft touch with complex material have built his lofty reputation.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025

Then in 1990 he got attention for his turn as the hard-nosed secret agent handling Anne Parillaud's female assassin Nikita, in Besson's hit film of the same name.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

But he had been one hell of a runner, tough as leather, hard-nosed, and people around town still remembered him for that as if it had happened yesterday.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Related Words

• hard-boiled
• hardheaded
• no-nonsense
• tough-minded
• uncompromising