1
as in smart
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a hardheaded politician who never hesitated to set aside principle in favor of expediency
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
Granny remained hardheaded about keeping her house and not moving into a nursing home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pragmatic
willing to see things as they really are and deal with them sensibly
a hardheaded minister who understands the difficulties teenagers face today
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardheaded
Over his lifetime, Aron was a hardheaded defender of liberal values in the face of fascist and totalitarian ideological challengers.
—
Raymond Aron, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Meryl is a hardheaded Candide, a sharp-eyed Don Quixote.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 15 Nov. 2023
For the sake of both regional stability and long-term U.S. security, Washington needs to sustain a hardheaded, clear-eyed empathy for the interests of the Russians as well as of the Ukrainians and other nationalities.
—Frank Costigliola, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2023
But behind the display of friendship was a backdrop of hardheaded geopolitics.
—Anton Troianovski, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Raymond Aron, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Meryl is a hardheaded Candide, a sharp-eyed Don Quixote.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 15 Nov. 2023
For the sake of both regional stability and long-term U.S. security, Washington needs to sustain a hardheaded, clear-eyed empathy for the interests of the Russians as well as of the Ukrainians and other nationalities.
—Frank Costigliola, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2023
But behind the display of friendship was a backdrop of hardheaded geopolitics.
—Anton Troianovski, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded
Adjective
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Installation and Performance: Simple and Satisfactory As with most smart thermostats, the Commercial Electric model is easy to install, but doing so involves working with low-voltage wiring.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
21 Feb. 2025
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No cable required: Stream from your smart TV, laptop, or mobile device.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Still facing a stubborn staffing crunch, the New York City Department of Correction will require officers to work mandatory 12-hour tours in a number of city jails, a move immediately criticized by their union.—
Graham Rayman,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2025
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The financial outlook from nation’s largest retailer, which has thrived amid stubborn inflation, delivered a jolt across the retail sector.—
Anne D’Innocenzio,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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That unpleasant character proposes Kasper join him and older, pragmatic Hasse (Christopher Wagelin) in robbing one of the city’s primary cash-handling operations, which services banks and other businesses.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
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Perceptions of Emery as a pragmatic manager are outdated — his squad-building suggests a more relaxed, free-wheeling approach.—
Jacob Tanswell,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Instead of a Letter by Diana Athill Before her death at 101, Diana Athill—the formidably shrewd editor of Philip Roth, Simone de Beauvoir, V. S. Naipaul, and more—had written no fewer than nine memoirs.—
Hayley Maitland,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2025
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Our government with three separate but co-equal branches exists precisely to prevent this kind of anarchy operating under a thin veneer of fiscal responsibility and shrewd cost-cutting.—
Brian Schatz,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Hamilton was adamant Ferrari had all the ingredients to win the world championship for the first time since 2008.—
Luke Smith,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025
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But both brown and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson – a marine biologist and policy expert – are adamant that modeling climate activism in popular culture need not be all about just ringing warning bells.—
Dan Heching,
CNN,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Both companies are dominant in their industries and feature very strong, astute leadership.—
StockStory Team,
CNBC,
22 Feb. 2025
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The financially astute among you (which is all of you, dear readers) will have spotted that a $599 phone being paid off at $5.99 a month should take 100 months, right?—
David Phelan,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The two decided to use handheld cameras, an unusual technique in Mexico at the time, to make the film feel viscerally realistic.—
Stephania Taladrid,
The New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2025
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And it’s been wonderful to have such a realistic set.—
Alex Jhamb Burns,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, the emphasis on centralized hydrogen hubs is giving way to onsite and distributed hydrogen production, a more practical approach for businesses looking to decarbonize without relying on extensive infrastructure.—
Ethan Stone,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
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Another practical must-have for travelers are Ross J Barr’s Calm, Healing or Breathe Patches (£15), which are a convenient and natural way to help alleviate stress headaches and tension, heal aches and pains or ease respiratory problems.—
Angelina Villa-Clarke,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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