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
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
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
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
Nick Rockel, Fortune, 4 Oct. 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
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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See our review The 2026 Hyundai Palisade is bigger and smarter, just don’t expect more power The six-figure 2025 Lexus LX Hybrid takes full-size luxury to new heights.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Portable smart tire pressure monitors screw onto the valve stem and connect to your phone, offering real-time updates and alerts for slow leaks.—
Melanie Marshall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Viewers were quick to point out the hilarity of the dog's stubborn protest, with many suggesting that the dachshund had already claimed permanent rights to the bed.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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The stubborn myth that Jews are too safe to be targets is colliding with a painful new reality.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Together, these stages offer a pragmatic way to close the velocity gap between development and production.—
Ronak Desai,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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David Ryder | Reuters Performative or pragmatic?—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The deadline day signing of Kolo Muani was a shrewd move to give him another option.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Craig has played shrewd detective Blanc in 2019’s Knives Out and 2022’s Glass Onion.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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However, her mother is adamant about keeping the canine off the antique chair.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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Sandlin was adamant that his engineering team has done everything possible to ensure no adverse impact to neighboring properties.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Instead of viewing this as a lack of ambition, astute employers will recognize it as a wake-up call about what motivates the future workforce in a post-social contract age.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Whereas the former revealed the many ways in which the responsibility for keeping families and communities together falls on women (an observation that informs the new series as well), Ingelsby’s latest makes an astute study of guilt, revenge, and forgiveness.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But this more robust communications channel is quite welcome after decades of sterile chatbots and IVR that fail to offer a realistic experience to those trying to reach the top brass of any company anywhere.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The scenario focused on employing the Air Force Research Laboratory’s 2,000-pound Quicksink maritime weapon to destroy a surface vessel under realistic conditions, according to a US Air Force press release published on September 10.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Its early pilots include placing a humanoid in a car factory to fetch and carry parts, hinting at a practical path into routine industrial tasks.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
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Below, Forbes Human Resources Council members share practical strategies middle managers can use to strengthen relationships and create a more positive workplace culture.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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