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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardheaded
When Buck resigned, the conservative cited a flank of the Republican Party’s hardheaded politics and unwavering devotion to Trump — traits that made Boebert a name brand.
—
Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
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
There’s a poignancy in this confession, but also a hardheaded aspect.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 2 June 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
Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
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
There’s a poignancy in this confession, but also a hardheaded aspect.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 2 June 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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Most successful forgers were smart and creative people, and many of their forgeries were consummate, even ingenious.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
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What to know about the 'smart wall' at the Arizona border.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Uninhibited by the European commitments of their rivals following last season’s dreary eighth-place finish, Massimiliano Allegri has wasted no time moulding the Rossoneri into a stubborn outfit that sit within two points of the summit after a 0-0 draw at Juventus before the international break.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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That damaging psychic weight of insecurity and self-blame seeps into our society and politics, where polls show a stubborn and longtime trend of declining faith in a better future.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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His loving, pragmatic wife, Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), gamely downsizes their middle-class life to fit their new reality — but her resoluteness only exacerbates his despair.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
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Ati Motors’ Mecha represents this pragmatic vision for the future of robotics, which is not a humanoid for exhibition but a capable, tireless system designed to work alongside humans in industrial settings.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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New York felt comfortable enough to pick up Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option, but keeping him around in the long term with Abdul Carter and Brian Burns probably isn’t the shrewdest.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
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The film had transformed from the messy, illogical version I’d first seen into a hilarious, shrewd, contemplative work of art.—
Susan Orlean,
New Yorker,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Whoever wins or doesn’t win, Markman is adamant that trophies don’t define us.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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Much to the dismay of Gen Z striving for success with a manageable work-life balance, CEOs are adamant that intense schedules are essential for anyone looking to make it in business.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Both coaches also say the other is very astute as far as in-game adjustments, and the players certainly agree.—
Vic Tafur,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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The odd, sometimes astute connections and ideas her seemingly new brain forms are not entirely unpleasant.—
Bekah Waalkes,
The Atlantic,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The last team in the division with a realistic-ish shot to make the playoffs is Dallas.—
Austin Mock,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Attackers often use voice-phishing calls or realistic fake apps to manipulate Salesforce administrators into installing malicious software.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This orbital propellant transfer capability, which SpaceX plans to demonstrate next year, will allow ships to launch with minimal fuel mass and top up in Earth orbit, making long-distance missions far more practical.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
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The collection debuts in time with the release of the iPhone 17, creating new ways to protect screens and embrace playful, stylish accessories that are practical and resilient.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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