hard-nosed

IPA/ˌhɑːd ˈnəʊzd/
IPA/ˌhɑːrd ˈnəʊzd/

hard-nosed — adjective

1. Someone who is hard-nosed stays focused on practical results and does not let em

1.形容詞B2
釋義

Someone who is hard-nosed stays focused on practical results and does not let emotions or feelings change their decisions or actions.

例句

Ayesha's hard-nosed negotiation saved the company nearly forty thousand dollars.

collocation: hard-nosed + [noun] (attributive position)

Detective Tariro took a hard-nosed look at the evidence and found the gap.

同義詞
  • tough-minded

    emphasizes strength of character more than practical results

  • hardheaded

    more informal; often implies stubbornness as well as pragmatism

  • unsentimental

    focuses only on lack of emotion, without the active determination of hard-nosed

  • pragmatic

    more formal; stresses practical thinking but not emotional toughness

反義詞
  • soft-hearted

    easily moved by feelings; the emotional opposite of hard-nosed

  • sentimental

    allows emotions to override practical judgment

用法筆記

Almost always used before a noun. Rare after a linking verb without a supporting phrase ('she is hard-nosed' sounds unnatural; 'she is a hard-nosed negotiator' is natural).

常見錯誤

❌She is a hard-nose businesswoman.
✅She is a hard-nosed businesswoman.
💡The adjective always ends in -d and is hyphenated.
❌He took a hard nose approach.
✅He took a hard-nosed approach.
💡The word is a single hyphenated adjective, not two separate words.