tough-minded

adjective

Definition of tough-mindednext
as in unsentimental

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 tough-minded Jarred Vanderbilt is tough-minded, Lakers coach JJ Redick said. — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026 Her tough-minded sister, Ena (Lisa Hagmeister), sees things with greater clarity. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026 Murphy, a gifted mechanic and a veteran of the Great War, immediately stands out to Clancy as a tough-minded, industrious guy. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2026 The number of ambiguous, tough-minded docs may be dwindling, but the tools to repair a broken world are growing. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 7 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tough-minded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tough-minded
  1. unsentimental
  2. bottom-line
  3. unromantic
  4. levelheaded
  5. hard-edged
  6. rational
  7. sensible
  8. logical
Adjective
  • Mears died at the age of ninety-one, and the end of his life seems to have been as unsentimental as its beginning.
    — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Though her voice is decidedly unsentimental, there’s still a gentleness to this novel that invites readers to care and wonder about history rather than mine it for certain knowledge.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsentimental
Adjective
  • Beyond the bottom-line impact of having the wrong amount of office space, using attendance data alone to make critical real estate decisions can also erode team trust.
    — Micah Remley, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The 0-2 record is the bottom-line result, but everything that has led to the winless record exacerbates the situation.
    — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of bottom-line
Adjective
  • At the press conference, a journalist noted that his filmography is notable for its unromantic view of animal life.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • For 30 minutes, the hunter watched the whitetails play a cat-and-mouse game as the buck tried to stay close to the unromantic does.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of unromantic
Adjective
  • To hear levelheaded commentators discuss it, this was all simply entertainment — two of the genre’s greats duking it out.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The group consists of levelheaded leader Blossom, sweet-natured Bubbles, and spunky Buttercup.
    — Oliver Gettell, Entertainment Weekly, 26 July 2026
Definition of levelheaded
Adjective
  • The Good, the Bad and the Painterly As Bouancheau fashioned a Puss that was more lyrical, like a character that stepped out of a fairy tale book and less hard-edged, all the other characters followed suit.
    — Karen Idelson, Variety, 23 Feb. 2023
Definition of hard-edged
Adjective
  • Defense can’t be too timid, but there needs to be rational response to an asymmetric downside.
    — Bob Ackerman, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Humans, in contrast, have souls that are additionally capable of rational thought.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of rational
Adjective
  • Ending animal agriculture alone won’t solve the political and economic causes of food insecurity, but that doesn’t make the system sensible.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Tableware Deals With holiday hosting season a few weeks out, now is a sensible time to stock up on glassware and flatware.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensible
Adjective
  • Overall, the feasibility study said the annexation area represents a logical extension of the city’s existing urban development pattern.
    — Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But when considering your approach, know that what seems logical and well-meaning to you may be unhelpful or even harmful.
    — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of logical

Browse Nearby Words

toughly
tough-minded
toughness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tough-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tough-minded. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Luddite

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All