hard-liner
hard-liner — noun
1. an attitude of refusing to change your demands or accept any compromise, especia
an attitude of refusing to change your demands or accept any compromise, especially in political discussions — for example, the hard-liner shown by a government that will not negotiate with its opponents.
The prime minister's hard-liner on trade talks surprised even members of her own party.
collocation: hard-liner on [topic]
Many voters grew tired of the government's hard-liner and voted for a more moderate candidate.
uncountable use: the government's hard-liner
The teachers' union criticised the school board's hard-liner after superintendent Esteban Reyes cut their health benefits.
Senator Chen's hard-liner on immigration policy lost him support among younger voters.
The party's hard-liner on environmental regulations drew sharp criticism from the business community.
- intransigence
more formal; describes refusal to compromise in negotiations
- inflexibility
broader; not limited to politics
- toughness
less formal; can be positive or negative depending on context
- flexibility
opposite quality; willingness to adapt
- moderation
avoiding extreme positions
文法句型
the hard-liner of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This uncountable sense describes the abstract quality of being uncompromising. It is often preceded by a possessive (e.g. 'the government's hard-liner'). Distinguish from sense 2, which refers to a person rather than an attitude.
常見錯誤
2. a person (most commonly in politics) who adopts extreme or rigid positions and r
a person (most commonly in politics) who adopts extreme or rigid positions and refuses to compromise, adjust their demands, or consider opposing viewpoints — for example, a party member who insists on continuing a war rather than negotiating peace.
Senator Park is a hard-liner on tax reform who refuses any increase in government spending.
a hard-liner on [issue]
Party hard-liners rejected the peace proposal and demanded a stronger military response.
plural: hard-liners
The new defence minister is a hard-liner who opposes giving up the country's nuclear programme.
Hard-liners within the opposition party blocked every attempt at reaching a compromise.
A group of religious hard-liners tried to prevent the new law from being passed.
- hawk
specifically someone who supports war or strong military action
- extremist
stronger negative connotation; implies views outside the mainstream
- radical
focuses on wanting fundamental change, not necessarily on refusing compromise
- conservative
broader; not all conservatives are hard-liners
文法句型
a hard-liner on [issue]
[adjective] hard-liner
用法筆記
Frequently used in the plural (hard-liners) to describe a faction or bloc within a larger group. The specific issue is introduced with the preposition 'on' (e.g. 'a hard-liner on immigration'). Common modifiers include 'right-wing', 'religious', 'party'.
常見錯誤
hard-liner — adjective
1. describing a position, policy, or attitude that is extreme and severe, with litt
describing a position, policy, or attitude that is extreme and severe, with little or no willingness to change, compromise, or show flexibility — for example, a hard-line approach to crime that demands the longest possible prison sentences.
The mayor took a hard-line stance against illegal parking and doubled all fines.
collocation: hard-line stance
Mayor Okafor's hard-line views on immigration made her popular among voters who wanted stricter border controls.
collocation: hard-line views
The school adopted a hard-line policy on bullying, suspending any student found guilty.
Lawyer Amani Osei said the government's hard-line housing policy forced fifty families from their homes.
A hard-line faction within the church refused to allow women to become priests.
- uncompromising
broader; not limited to politics
- intransigent
formal; refusing to agree or compromise
- strict
less extreme; focuses on rules rather than ideology
- stern
focuses on the manner or tone rather than the position itself
文法句型
hard-line + noun (policy/stance/approach/position)
用法筆記
This is the attributive form; it almost always appears before a noun (hard-line stance, hard-line policy, hard-line views). The noun 'hard-liner' (sense 2) describes the person who holds such views, while 'hard-line' describes the views themselves.