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
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
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
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
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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded
Adjective
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The cottages have a mid-century feel and each have indoor and outdoor fireplaces and a smart nouveau-southwest look.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
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While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Experts warn that the stubborn metric has long-term implications for learning.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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Wait 10 minutes before washing for milder stains or up to a week for more severe or stubborn stains.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Felix’s memoir-manifesto draws on Black radical poetic traditions to argue for the pragmatic power of poetry, and for language as a tool for liberation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
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The winners of the Virginia and New Jersey governor’s races ran on a platform of being a little bit less divisive and trying to be more pragmatic.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But with a few shrewd changes from page to screen, Benedict asking Sophie to be his mistress feels more like a last resort than a first instinct, clearing the path to a smoother happily ever after when the show returns in February.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
30 Jan. 2026
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Advertisement Maine Susan Collins might just be the shrewdest incumbent Republican on this year’s map.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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New York — Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, a federal district judge ruled Friday, dealing a blow to US prosecutors who were adamant about pursuing the ultimate sentence.—
Kara Scannell,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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DeSantis has been adamant that his administration broke no laws.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Researchers say the system delivers an unusually realistic driving experience.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
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But an edited — and realistic — image of civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong in tears after being arrested is raising new alarms about how the administration is blurring the lines between what is real and what is fake.—
Kaitlyn Huamani,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Now, astute tennis fans will want to look up.—
Paula Conway,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Diversity helps parties prevent wipeouts in difficult cycles, like this one is for Republicans, and maximizes gains in good years, as astute Democrats are hoping to do this year.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Yet, even for those long-ensconced in homes, the calming tones continue to be both popular and practical.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The panel concluded the order was both overly broad and impermissibly vague, raising constitutional and practical concerns.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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