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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hardheaded
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
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
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
Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
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
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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For me, it’s been really essential to read a lot of great information, and to come at the world filled with knowledge and all these ideas of, in my view, much smarter and braver people than myself.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Those rats were smarter, and their brains were larger and more complex than the brains of the rats in the isolated condition.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Month over month, that would be the same stubborn pace that has persisted for more than two years.—
Steve Kopack,
NBC news,
24 Oct. 2025
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Results show that microbial iron mining can immobilize toxic metals and convert stubborn pollutants into less harmful compounds.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Those who stayed took a pragmatic view of their circumstances.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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From Tennessee’s perspective, the trade reflects the new front office’s pragmatic approach.—
Evan Dammarell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Wallstedt is a fan of YouTube videos showing shrewd traders buying and selling high-end watches — some of them valued at $15,000 or more — in the Diamond District, located on 47th Street not far from Times Square.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Costco, though, was a shrewd recombination of what had come before rather than a straight copy.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Back in January 2024, when Sportico was first to report on Florida State’s conversations with Sixth Street and Arctos Partners, many around the process were adamant to point out that those conversations were private credit (or private capital), not private equity.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
22 Oct. 2025
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Giuffre was adamant that the pain, including several attempts at suicide in the past few years, was part of her story.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Senne Lammens continuing his composed start to his United career could at least counteract those types of chances for Brighton, while Amorim’s defenders will need to be astute to the movement of Hurzeler’s front-line.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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The odd, sometimes astute connections and ideas her seemingly new brain forms are not entirely unpleasant.—
Bekah Waalkes,
The Atlantic,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Though Curry's more realistic rendition of Pennywise has proven to have enduring cultural staying power, Bill Skarsgård has made the role his own over the past decade.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
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Based on the trailer, Joanne and Noah seem to both be in the honeymoon phase, and also very realistic about their future.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This practical gift idea keeps hands ultra-warm and cozy thanks to its fleeced interior and waterproof, windproof, and snow-proof exterior.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
22 Oct. 2025
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Remote monitoring is another practical frontier.—
Scott R. Schell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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