hard-boiled

adjective
UK: /ˌhɑːdˈbɔɪld/
US: /ˌhɑːrdˈbɔɪld/

  1. Describes a person who shows no emotions and is very tough.

    1. The hard-boiled detective didn't flinch at the gruesome scene.
    2. He cultivated a hard-boiled image to succeed in the cutthroat business world.

  2. Describes an egg that has been cooked in boiling water until the yolk and white are solid.

    1. I had a hard-boiled egg for breakfast this morning.
    2. She packed a hard-boiled egg in her lunch to eat after her workout.

Synonyms

unsentimental tough callous

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "hard-boiled" in English means: Describes a person who shows no emotions and is very tough., Describes an egg that has been cooked in boiling water until the yolk and white are solid..

The phonetic transcription of "hard-boiled" is /ˌhɑːdˈbɔɪld/ in British English and /ˌhɑːrdˈbɔɪld/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hard-boiled": unsentimental, tough, callous.

Example usage of "hard-boiled": "The hard-boiled detective didn't flinch at the gruesome scene.". More examples on the page.