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
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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
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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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Recent Examples of hardheaded
In the complicated, thorny, offensive, manipulative, sometimes hilarious, sometimes uncomfortable video interview, which evokes the feeling of an uncle sitting down with his hardheaded nephew, Thug is reeling and full of so much anxiety that his legs are shaking.
—
Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2025
Flash mobs in the Loop are a real problem demanding hardheaded solutions.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
British officials know this and sometimes despair that their country has not found a way to be more hardheaded.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
The messy middle refers to the difficult decisions that need to be made, guided by science and hardheaded economics.
—Nick Rockel, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2025
Flash mobs in the Loop are a real problem demanding hardheaded solutions.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
British officials know this and sometimes despair that their country has not found a way to be more hardheaded.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
The messy middle refers to the difficult decisions that need to be made, guided by science and hardheaded economics.
—Nick Rockel, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded
Adjective
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Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood The Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman gets all the attention and accolades as being one of the smartest and most successful general managers in sports, and deservedly so.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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There is some chance our leaders individually and collectively will not fight and will draw people together to do the difficult, smart things necessary to handle these challenges well enough to beat the odds.—
Ray Dalio,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Its hot water wash dissolves stubborn grease on the mop pads, while its specialized Curv design prevents long hair from tangling around the brushes.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
-
For any stubborn coffee stains on the carafe, apply baking soda directly to the interior surface and gently scrub with a soft sponge or toothbrush.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Humble but strong, philosophical but pragmatic, Kingsley's interpretation of the leader manages to balance both his spirituality and shrewdness, simultaneously demystifying an icon while also adding another layer to the legend.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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But then appeasing tradition and upending it both at once, which certainly is the pragmatic philosophy of Lyric, always is a tricky matter.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This novel explores the unique bond that siblings in unstable families can form, and is especially shrewd on how sisters define themselves in negative space.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
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The Seahawks crossed the finish line because of shrewd additions.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even at that, Panthers coach Paul Maurice remains adamant all the trade rumors were blown out of proportion in the first place.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
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Berg is adamant that any kind of sleeper—we’re talking side sleepers, stomach sleepers, and back sleepers alike—would like this supportive style.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Keep promises small and specific, then share a realistic timeline that proves your commitment and gives you space to work.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
-
However, the feature debut by Graham Parkes is something else entirely, merging a magical premise with a starkly realistic, anxiety-inducing relationship comedy-drama, buoyed by stellar lead performances and immensely impressive audio-visual control.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Once a spindly but speedy left midfielder, the 25-year-old Ahmed has developed into a tactically astute and fearless attacking player who has adapted to the physical English Championship with Norwich City far quicker than expected.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Not all the time, not in a deeply debilitating way, but enough that his ongoing battle with right-knee tendinitis has become part of his tennis-playing identity — as much as his astute court acumen, steadfast competitiveness and Southern California charisma.—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Using a patient, practical tone keeps everyone focused on useful results.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Mar. 2026
-
China is accelerating efforts to move humanoid robots beyond demonstrations and into practical, real-world roles.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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