hardheadedness

noun

1
as in persistence
a steadfast adherence to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion her unrelenting hardheadedness didn't win many friends, but it helped her to get her way most of the time

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intelligence
exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters the hardheadedness of a bean counter

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheadedness
  1. persistence
  2. intelligence
  3. stubbornness
  4. wit
  5. persistency
  6. wisdom
  7. intransigence
  8. shrewdness
Noun
  • Then there’s a clearing of throats, and like malware, the narratives begin to establish persistence over mood and multiply.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The dehumanization of Black people represented by the persistence of Confederate iconography in mainstream culture became an underground signifier of the precariousness of the freedoms enshrined by the 14th Amendment.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of persistence
Noun
  • Reuters reported, citing a cyber threat intelligence analyst, that Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany, and Belgium were affected.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Denmark's defense intelligence service specifically warned Russia could use such tactics to split the NATO alliance.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of intelligence
Noun
  • The film’s cast is mostly made up of tribal non-actors, but Anghlong Konyak is its captivating center, as a man whose stubbornness against change sits alongside a lingering grief over his fading way of life.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Perhaps the stubbornness on both sides is why this rivalry thrives despite its nonconference status.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of stubbornness
Noun
  • Her intelligence and wit serve her well as the horrors unfold.
    — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Perhaps the actor-director is trying to borrow a page from his bitterly funny David Fincher hit, Gone Girl (another kidnapping thriller, sort of), but Animals has none of that earlier picture’s wit or Grand Guignol extremes or gonzo structure.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of wit
Noun
  • The Home Service Insurance segment experienced a decline in premiums, attributed to strategic actions to improve sales quality and persistency, as well as economic pressures such as inflation.
    — Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The tannins are well structured yet soft and the wine has great persistency in the finish.
    — Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 2 May 2023
Definition of persistency
Noun
  • Two crazy ass years have gone by (fast af) and my travels have left me, at 28, with a little more wisdom, more guts and ALOT more shoes!
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In the video, giving viewers a tour of his grand creation like a latter-day Robert Moses, Tomlin seems blissed out, like the keeper of some ancient wisdom.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of wisdom
Noun
  • One reason for the Kremlin's intransigence is that Russia's attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure have a relatively greater impact than Ukraine's.
    — Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The fact that so many diplomats before him have struggled is a testament not to the intransigence of international problems but to the mediocrity of his predecessors.
    — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of intransigence
Noun
  • Spain’s shrewdness came in their refusal to engage with off-the-ball trivialities.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Instead, Franklin will rise by virtue of hard work and (actual) shrewdness.
    — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Definition of shrewdness
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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hardheaded
hardheadedness
hardheads
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Cite this Entry

“Hardheadedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheadedness. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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