HARDHEADED Synonyms: 280 Similar and Opposite Words

hardheaded

adjective

ˈhärd-ˈhe-dəd

Definition of hardheaded

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

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

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

Example 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 While the tech sector may have (initially) had more utopian impulses than the hardheaded geopolitical realism of the state, both could see their mutual projects achieved through the same means. — Nick Srnicek, Wired News, 14 Jan. 2026 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 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 As Iran’s willingness to engage with the United States over its nuclear program showed, it is driven by hardheaded calculations of national interest, not a desire to spread its Islamic Revolution abroad. — Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2018 See All Example Sentences for hardheaded

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded

Adjective

Craig was highly rated, and the plan to try to be more physical with Sammis’ pro-style attack in a league increasingly dominated by teams built in the trenches like Texas Tech, BYU and Utah seemed smart.

— Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026
Having experienced the dial adjust the volume on its own while the case was in my pocket, a disable option seems smart.

— Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of smart

Adjective

An honor that seems to bring things full circle for that stubborn little girl who dreamed of performing on stages around the world from her farm.

— Ilaria Perrotta, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
How To Remove Leaf Stains With Chlorine Bleach Bleach is very effective at removing stubborn leaf stains, along with mildew and moss.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of stubborn

Adjective

Start with the community With a pragmatic and fair approach, data center infrastructure can operate from a combination of baseload fuels, battery storage, and renewables, while prioritizing community needs and impacts.

— Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
These are typically gift boxes of coffee or tea, or elegant but pragmatic items, such as high-quality towels or soaps, sent within a few weeks of the funeral.

— Mimi Hanaoka, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of pragmatic

Adjective

At times, Zukenee’s chameleonic range and ironic language can feel like a shrewd substitute for vulnerability.

— Narsimha Gour Chintaluri, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
Atlanta general manager Dan Padover built the Dream into a title contender through shrewd trades, a little bit of luck and patience from the team's ownership group.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of shrewd

Adjective

Seems unlikely that Kiffin would be adamant that the Big Ten's nine-game conference schedule is dragging down their results.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
And Ballmer and the Clippers remain adamant the penalties—and the allegations of misconduct—are incorrect.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of adamant

Adjective

America’s Micron is building fabs in the United States, but significantly replacing Korea’s output is not realistic.

— Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Building realistic best-case, base-case and downside scenarios helps companies adjust before a shift becomes a crisis.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of realistic

Adjective

His astute stand-up and withering, spot-on insights into race, relationships and celebrity have influenced countless comedians and writers.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
Her astute explanations, along with conversations with former immigration judges and other experts, helped turn a convoluted topic into a clear story.

— Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of astute

Adjective

So the theoretical maximum is 256 ESSMs rather than 64 missiles, although a practical loadout would probably mix missile types.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Join Fortune‘s Sam Birchall and a group of CFOs on Wednesday 28th October to discuss practical perspectives on strengthening capability, continuity, and long-term resilience in finance.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of practical

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hardhead

hardheaded

hardheadedness

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“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hardheaded

adjective

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