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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hardheaded
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
Politicians like John Adams and Theodore Roosevelt, and hardheaded businessmen like John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan, supported Zionist aspirations as well.
—Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022
What does matter is to stop being so hardheaded and close-minded.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2022
See all Example Sentences for hardheaded 
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
Politicians like John Adams and Theodore Roosevelt, and hardheaded businessmen like John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan, supported Zionist aspirations as well.
—Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022
What does matter is to stop being so hardheaded and close-minded.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2022
See all Example Sentences for hardheaded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded
Adjective
-
This includes smart TVs, non-gaming laptops, phones, tablets or third party gaming devices.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
-
In response, social media companies’ algorithms to detect drug-selling behavior are getting smarter and are aggregating images and emojis, Fuller says.Mattha Busby, WIRED, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The Fed’s preferred inflation measure — the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index — is due Friday and could similarly show stubborn price pressures.Bryan Mena, CNN, 18 Dec. 2024
-
While the overall economic picture is starting to look better, stubborn inflation and the prospect of new tariffs when President-elect Donald Trump takes office seem to give mid-market leaders pause.Megan Poinski, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Experts and residents of Idlib describe their governance as pragmatic and influenced by both internal and external pressure, with efforts to distance themselves from a jihadist past and gain international acceptance.Mostafa Salem, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
-
Under Frank, Riemer believes Brentford evolved from a dominant, possession-heavy Championship team to a more pragmatic one in the Premier League before becoming a more expansive outfit again following Toney’s sale to Al Ahli in the summer.Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
People And Beliefs About Angels The shrewdest place to begin an exploration of whether generative AI and large language models (LLMs) ought to believe in angels is best undertaken by considering the overall nature of human beliefs.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
-
Schrader keeps things straight for viewers through the use of shrewd visual cues.Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The company has long maintained that privacy is a fundamental human right and has been adamant that the information stored on its devices be accessible only to the people that own them.Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
-
Despite the abuse Drea and her kids have experienced, the mother of three is adamant about keeping her ex-husband’s last name.Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Haunted by an investigation that went unsolved years ago, the aged and beleaguered yet incredibly astute Deke is drawn back into the world of homicide after teaming up with the young, driven, idealistic Jim Baxter (Malek).Travis Bean, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
-
The Polish festival could hardly ask for a jury chair more astute to the nuances of craft behind the camera as well as in front of it.Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The realistic goal setting by prioritizing the skill-relevant courses has assisted our employees in effectively dealing with this FOMO.Praveen Andapalli, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
-
The video has garnered more than 3.4 million views, captivating digital audiences with its hauntingly realistic portrayal of a bygone era.Melissa Fleur Afshar, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Take this time to prepare for future energy needs with practical savings.Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
-
The overall picture is that the physiology is real, but the practical effects seem to be too small to measure.Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hardheaded
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share