hard hat

noun

for sense 1 usually
ˈhärd-ˈhat How to pronounce hard hat (audio)
for senses 1b and 2
ˈhärd-ˌhat How to pronounce hard hat (audio)
1
a
: a protective hat made of rigid material (such as metal or fiberglass) and worn especially by construction workers
b
: a construction worker
2
: a conservative who is intolerant of opposing views

Examples of hard hat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Crewmen arrived in yellow hard hats: Pedro Medina and Marian Kosiorowski, on foot; Raymon Echevarria, in a utility cart; and Jimmy Figueroa Santiago, in a beeping backhoe. Paige Williams, New Yorker, 2 June 2025 Before stepping on stage, the president spoke briefly with three workers who presented him with a golden hard hat. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025 By Ana Swanson On April 2, President Trump walked out in front of a crowd of officials, reporters and workers in hard hats assembled in the White House Rose Garden and unveiled his plans for remaking the global trading system. Jonathan Swan, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 His Cabinet gathered in the Rose Garden alongside supporters wearing hard hats and reflective vests—a stagy reference to all the manufacturing jobs that would presumably be flooding back to U.S. soil. Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hard hat

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard hat was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hard hat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20hat. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

hard hat

noun
1
: a protective helmet worn especially by construction workers
2
: a construction worker

More from Merriam-Webster on hard hat

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