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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Operations are fully paperless, a NORDAQ filtration system eliminates single-use plastic water bottles, and smart climate control throughout helps curb energy usage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Txhoihf Door Draft Stopper A door draft stopper is a smart home pick that can help lower heating and cooling costs by keeping warmth inside during cold months and the AC inside during summer.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
One person refuses to bow — not an army, not a revolution, one stubborn Jew minding his own business — and Haman cannot function.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
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Scrub gently with a soft sponge or brush, focusing on stubborn areas.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Taken individually, these trips are pragmatic exercises in economic statecraft.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
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On the other Derya, who is more pragmatic.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Their sly and winning songwriting deftly embraced more than a wink-wink, nudge-nudge of shrewd parody and unabashed social incorrectness.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
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Lens finished only one point behind PSG that season and Haise was praised for his shrewd tactical ability.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Despite the heartbreaking details surrounding Dane’s death and his disease, Dempsey was adamant about remembering Dane before his ALS diagnosis.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
20 Feb. 2026
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My dad was clear and adamant that his choice was to stay in Minneapolis.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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These will be the last figure skating medals awarded at the 2026 Games, and all three skaters are realistic contenders for the Olympic podium.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
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Practicing realistic scenarios beforehand is essential.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
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All this is strange and disappointing, because Holmes is a gifted biographer, not to mention a fluent translator of science and an astute reader of poetry.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The specifications Issac 0 is a compact, stationary home robot designed for practical integration into the home.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
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Finally, a justice has to bring practical judgment to balancing competing interests when the legal text does not settle an issue, or the court acts as the leader for the entire state judiciary.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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