hard-core

adjective

ˈhärd-ˈkȯr How to pronounce hard-core (audio)
Definition of hard-corenext
as in deep
firmly established over time the hard-core habits that generate our mountains of trash everyday will be extremely difficult to change

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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-core On the court, the nickname goes back to the 1930s, when journalists evoked the Bible’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as a way of describing the four hard-core conservative justices who blocked progressive legislation for years. — Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 7 July 2026 These are not social Democrats, these are hard-core, godless communists. — CBS News, 28 June 2026 The chugging and churning riffs of the Swedish hard-core band’s breakout song once used to echo the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the kitchen. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026 Last year’s Superman was divisive among the hardcore fandom but grossed a very respectable $619 million worldwide, kicking off the new era of DC Studios under co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran on a promising note. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hard-core
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-core
  1. deep
  2. inveterate
  3. lifelong
  4. entrenched
  5. inherent
  6. rooted
Adjective
  • Core aerators remove plugs about 2 to 4 inches deep and around 1/2-inch wide, and spaced about 2 to 6 inches apart, dropping them on the lawn surface.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Lovano expressed deep gratitude to Collins for steering the festival for many years and keeping the atmosphere alive.
    — Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of deep
Adjective
  • The cast features not just the creator, who makes the Manic Pixie Dream Girl archetype her own as ukulele troubadour Lulu, but also a pre-Bridgerton Jonathan Bailey in the wild role of an inveterate womanizer.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In the guest section, apparently at the invitation of one of the liberal Justices, sat Robert De Niro, an inveterate Trump critic.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of inveterate
Adjective
  • In part, Sperr alleges that Kress has taken full control over Bass’ household and finances, and isolated him from lifelong friends and employees, attorneys wrote in the suit.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Single Americans who say income matters in a relationship expect a potential lifelong partner to earn an average of $139,000 a year, according to a new survey highlighting the growing role finances play in modern dating.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of lifelong
Adjective
  • So deeply entrenched are the problems confronting higher education that a growing chorus of innovators says the easiest way to fix them is to begin again from scratch.
    — Jon Marcus, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Feedback control is so entrenched in modern engineering practices that stability and sensing have become nearly synonymous.
    — Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of entrenched
Adjective
  • The strategy seeks to slow China's technological advancement through attrition rather than a complete ban, acknowledging the inherent challenge of policing cross-border digital services.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Although none of these trails are terribly technical, there’s still an inherent risk that comes with hiking.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of inherent
Adjective
  • Getty One of the Hard Rock's staying powers comes from making that familiarity feel rooted in the destination.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
  • But at this point, expectations for how much of an impact AI will have on individual companies doesn’t seem rooted in how much progress has been made in implementing it.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of rooted

Browse Nearby Words

hardcase
hard-core
hardcover
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hard-core.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-core. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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