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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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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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
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
At this point in a description of a possible future technology, a hardheaded engineer loses interest.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Nov. 2018
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
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
At this point in a description of a possible future technology, a hardheaded engineer loses interest.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Nov. 2018
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded
Adjective
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The Revolution Cooking smart toaster sears bagels, bread, waffles and more from edge to edge without drying them out -- crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2026
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With Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto bringing the entire Japanese market on board as Dodgers fans, the richest and smartest team in baseball has ways of generating millions beyond the boundaries of normal revenue sharing that rival owners never even stopped to consider.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In business, this same perseverance can be invaluable when navigating competitive and fluctuating markets, stubborn problems or enduring long timelines that don’t pay immediate dividends but for which the rewards are worth the wait.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2026
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For stubborn black spots, make a paste using baking soda and a small amount of water.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Wenger became more pragmatic over the years that followed.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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The everyday was the aim for the Belgian designer, whose pragmatic first collection returned Marni to its house codes, established under founder Consuelo Castiglioni.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While lacking Khomeini’s theological standing, Khamenei proved to be politically shrewd.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
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Thomas Jay Ryan was a funny, cranky Kramer, Will Brill a shrewd, amiable Fauci.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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First and foremost, Schottenheimer was adamant that this isn’t your grandfather’s approach to a 3-4 defense.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
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Woodruff, who was then just seventeen years old, has in the years since been adamant that he was pressured by police to incriminate himself and others.—
Austin Elias-de Jesus,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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There were no indications of direct intervention — but such an expectation wouldn’t be realistic.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Everyone is mature and realistic here.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Later, McCartney goes to the heart of the matter with an astute assessment of a value bred into him in Liverpool, a working-class aversion to being the boss.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Feb. 2026
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In a ruse that, for lack of a more astute reference point here, feels very Don Draper-coded, Rose poses as the dear male soldier who died next to her in battle, figuring why waste the deeds to perfectly decent land, or his name.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Your practical patience turns big ideas into structured, doable steps.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Mar. 2026
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If achieved, that would move the physics from cryogenic laboratories toward practical technologies.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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