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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheadedness
Noun
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That persistence extends into the present in unexpected ways.—
Valentina Di Donato,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026 -
The earth sign is determined to win through persistence, much like the intense relationship between He-Man and Skeletor.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
More vocal proponents of the statute include the top Republicans and Democrats on the intelligence committees, as well as congressional leaders in both chambers.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
The military had to blow up two of its own special operations aircraft on the ground in Iran during the covert mission, which involved hundreds of American military and intelligence personnel, including special operations forces.—
Todd Symons,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
At some point, the preference for consistency and the resolve to make decisions built on past success starts to mirror stubbornness.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
3 June 2026
-
Like Sunshine Sean, Bedsy offers a high floor, good-to-brilliant regular seasons, and inevitable playoff heartbreak brought on by a combination of stubbornness and the inability to adapt on the fly.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
There’s depth, there’s wit, there’s ease.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
-
In the end, even after his shimmering wit and formidable smarts led him to a career of delightful diversions into everything from aesthetics to neurophysics to Pink Floyd, Stoppard went back to his own beginnings.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
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
Noun
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Wilson was most often seen behind his fence (with his face mostly obscured), offering moral guidance and wisdom to Tim and the rest of the Taylor family.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
Comer is the perfect counterpoint, a reinvention of a character who was said to be truly horrific in past versions, but here is a woman of great understanding and wisdom nursing Robin Hood back from the brink and giving him an end moment of grace.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Instead, the courts are dealing with intransigence from the city.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
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In Kyiv, Orbán’s intransigence had scuttled various European initiatives to aid Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government in the country’s with Russia.—
Rafi Schwartz,
TheWeek,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Can the Democrats of 2026 muster equal shrewdness and toughness?—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
-
Humble but strong, philosophical but pragmatic, Kingsley's interpretation of the leader manages to balance both his spirituality and shrewdness, simultaneously demystifying an icon while also adding another layer to the legend.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hardheadedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheadedness. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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