hard-bitten

Thân thiện

A hard-bitten detective reviews the case file under a dim lamp.

Definition

Adjective: 1. Tough and resilient due to difficult experience: Describes a person who has become strong, cynical, or uncompromising because of enduring many hardships or challenges.

Usage

This adjective is used to describe a person's character or attitude, implying they are not easily shocked, upset, or persuaded due to a history of dealing with difficult situations. It often carries a tone of grudging respect.

Examples

• The hard-bitten detective had seen too much crime to be surprised by anything.
• After years of negotiating contracts, she became a hard-bitten and shrewd businesswoman.
• The veteran reporter was hard-bitten but still maintained a core sense of justice.

Advanced Usage

• "Hard-bitten realism": A pragmatic, unsentimental view of the world shaped by tough experience.
  • His novels are known for their hard-bitten realism, reflecting his years as a war correspondent.

Variants and Related Words

• Hard-bittenness (noun, rare): The quality of being hard-bitten.
  • His hard-bittenness was a shield against the emotional toll of the job.

Synonyms

• Hardened
• Cynical
• Callous
• Tough
• Case-hardened
• World-weary

Antonyms

• Naive
• Impressionable
• Sentimental
• Tender
• Innocent

Học thuật

Adjective

1. tough and callous by virtue of experience

Từ đồng nghĩa

• hard-boiled
• pugnacious