hard-ass
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Tough, uncompromising and inflexible.
Register: slang, vulgar
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Hopefully you don't take such a hard-ass approach as this.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “hard-ass” mean?
Tough, uncompromising and inflexible.
Is “hard-ass” formal or informal?
hard-ass is generally slang, vulgar.