hardheaded

adjective

ˈhärd-ˈhe-dəd How to pronounce hardheaded (audio)
Definition of hardheadednext
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

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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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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 At the George offices, Berman loses it once and for all at John’s lateness, his indifference to the daily operations of the magazine, and his hardheaded refusal to consider the TV show. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Mar. 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 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
  1. smart
  2. stubborn
  3. pragmatic
  4. shrewd
  5. adamant
  6. realistic
  7. astute
  8. practical
Adjective
  • Like its existing Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley smart glasses lines, the new designs are developed with EssilorLuxxottica — the group that also owns Prada eyewear, rumored to be Meta’s next collaborator.
    — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 7 July 2026
  • Recreating the look is easy at Quince, where smart trousers and shirts are available in similar colors and materials that channel the same laid-back aesthetic.
    — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of smart
Adjective
  • Colombia earned its passage into the round of 16 with a 1-0 win over stubborn Ghana.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Pickle Robot’s Physical AI unloaders tackle the dock door bottleneck, which is a stubborn pain point in inbound logistics, while AmbiStack handles the structured, high-volume stacking that feeds downstream operations.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 6 July 2026
Definition of stubborn
Adjective
  • Germany shifted to more wide play after the break, with Kai Havertz levelling things up, but Paraguay held firm with their pragmatic approach for over an hour to force penalties, even surviving a Jonathan Tah disallowed goal.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • That pragmatic approach echoes the prevailing philosophy across much of Norway's maritime cluster.
    — Heather Farmbrough, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of pragmatic
Adjective
  • Neon proved especially shrewd handling its follow-up, selling McCarthy’s witchy haunted inn as both prestige fare and an accessible vehicle for star Adam Scott.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026
  • Mary — played by Deirdre O’Connell, who has been in a million things, most recently The Penguin and Eddington — is too shrewd to just agree to sell the air rights for whatever price best suits Jimmy & Co.
    — Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Definition of shrewd
Adjective
  • While waiting to go to court, Zaayer remained adamant that Shawna needed to go to prison but was also convinced that David — who worked at the nearby jail — was protecting his wife from receiving an adequate punishment, per The Guardian.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • But Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has been adamant that there are not enough votes in the Senate to pass the legislation, given the 60-vote filibuster threshold.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2026
Definition of adamant
Adjective
  • There are other realistic podium contenders worth mentioning.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 1 July 2026
  • Most independent observers have suggested that a 12- to 18-month timeline is probably the most realistic for New Glenn’s return to flight.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026
Definition of realistic
Adjective
  • However, his calm demeanor and astute in-game changes have helped the Selecao overcome deficits and build psychological resilience.
    — Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Her astute observations — and solid Disney fairy tale references — don't stop there.
    — Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
Definition of astute
Adjective
  • What Enterprises Should Do Now For a technology buyer, the practical move is to treat the agent gateway as a diligence checklist rather than a purchase.
    — Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • As a perpetually on-the-go woman, my chic mom is rotating through a range of practical styles this season.
    — Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 6 July 2026
Definition of practical

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Cite this Entry

“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of hardheaded for Spanish Speakers

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