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
Kayce sells Yellowstone Ranch for $1.25 an acre and Elsa Dutton rises from the dead to declare victory
Kayce cryptically suggested the Yellowstone sale at the end of last week's episode, and the hardheaded financial wonder Beth loved the idea.
—
Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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
There’s a poignancy in this confession, but also a hardheaded aspect.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 2 June 2024
Over his lifetime, Aron was a hardheaded defender of liberal values in the face of fascist and totalitarian ideological challengers.
—Raymond Aron, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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
There’s a poignancy in this confession, but also a hardheaded aspect.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 2 June 2024
Over his lifetime, Aron was a hardheaded defender of liberal values in the face of fascist and totalitarian ideological challengers.
—Raymond Aron, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded
Adjective
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The lead character is the prince, who doesn’t want to be on the throne and is not really that smart.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
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She’s got that great State Farm commercial where everything’s better from the logo – terrific ad, very smart.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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One of the people that is most stubborn in their support of these spendy projects is Senator Todd Young, a Republican from Indiana.—
Roger Valdez,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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For indoor brick, keep it simple by trying a slightly damp brush to sweep away stubborn dirt.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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If the Islamic Republic could be replaced with something more pragmatic and less ideologically driven than Khomeini’s revolutionary doctrine, few in the Arab Gulf would mourn.—
H.A. Hellyer,
Time,
30 June 2025
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All of this is to say that centrism and pragmatic politics are no means dead in the Democratic Party.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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In its pleasantly complicated world-building, the series manages to be a shrewd political thriller, a cracking adventure, and a haunting religious allegory rolled into one.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
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Beyond long-running The Lawrence Welk Show, which debuted on ABC on this day in 1955, Welk was a bandleader, an accordion player, and a shrewd businessman synonymous with squeaky-clean (and older-skewing) entertainment.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Among the holdouts are members of the SALT Caucus, who have been adamant that any deal from the Senate that does not match the one that passed the House is dead on arrival.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
27 June 2025
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President Donald Trump has been adamant his tariffs will bring factory jobs back to American shores.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Although there are no easy solutions to these multiplying threats, U.S. leaders can significantly mitigate them by making astute, yet still modest, changes to the arsenal itself and to the overall role of nuclear strategy in U.S. foreign and defense policy.—
VIPIN NARANG,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
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The 51-year-old is widely considered one of the most astute tacticians in the Premier League and has been the figurehead of one of the smartest, shrewdest clubs anywhere in European soccer for the last seven years.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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Two, that the racing footage is incredibly realistic.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
27 June 2025
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Around-the-clock monitoring is crucial, yet building and staffing a 24/7/365 SOC isn't realistic for the typical small enterprise.—
Ricardo Villadiego,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Today’s Canadian nationalism, by contrast, arises from darker and more practical concerns.—
Stephen Marche,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2025
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Sierra Designs recently updated their award-winning Mobile Mummy, a practical and comfortable wearable sleeping bag originally released in 2014.—
Wendy Altschuler,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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