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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Hundreds of years after mankind is wiped out, a smart buoy (Kristen Stewart) turns on and strikes up a friendship with the last satellite (Steven Yeun) launched into space.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 June 2025
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Right now, Meta pretty much owns the smart glasses space and these specs could help cement that leadership.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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All of which can be employed by Musk or anyone else using AI to target us with false political advertising tailored to our most stubborn biases, further dividing us, manipulating elections and solidifying what has already become a fascist state.—
Sal Recchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 June 2025
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Then Curry, rattled by the monumental reverb of Kyrie’s shot, hurried into a stubborn approach on the ensuing possession, missed a desperate 3 over Kevin Love, who used his length and a rare display of defensive intensity to deny Curry a good look.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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And Pérez has always been pragmatic: While half of his business comes from selling to the luxe set, the other 50% comes from rental apartments and affordable housing.—
Giacomo Tognini,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
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Maybe a new, pragmatic leadership will emerge—one that realizes that the time has come for Iran to stop picking fights, end its global isolation, and pursue its own development.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Were these the shrewd moves of a wunderkind on the doorstep of a historic election upset?—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
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The Thunder’s championship run was the product of shrewd front office decisions, patient development, and a little bit of luck.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Football has typically accepted these lapses and quietly moved on, adamant that the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PED) is primarily a problem for other sports.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
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Green groups are adamant EVs should be the only option.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
17 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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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
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Two, that the racing footage is incredibly realistic.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Nevertheless, the safety zone concept, essentially managing access to and activities around specific areas, could be a practical tool for protecting heritage sites.—
Michelle L.D. Hanlon,
Space.com,
20 June 2025
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People follow entrepreneurs who offer practical wisdom, not generic business advice.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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