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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hardheaded
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
Meryl is a hardheaded Candide, a sharp-eyed Don Quixote.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 15 Nov. 2023
For the sake of both regional stability and long-term U.S. security, Washington needs to sustain a hardheaded, clear-eyed empathy for the interests of the Russians as well as of the Ukrainians and other nationalities.
—Frank Costigliola, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2023
But behind the display of friendship was a backdrop of hardheaded geopolitics.
—Anton Troianovski, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Raymond Aron, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Meryl is a hardheaded Candide, a sharp-eyed Don Quixote.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 15 Nov. 2023
For the sake of both regional stability and long-term U.S. security, Washington needs to sustain a hardheaded, clear-eyed empathy for the interests of the Russians as well as of the Ukrainians and other nationalities.
—Frank Costigliola, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2023
But behind the display of friendship was a backdrop of hardheaded geopolitics.
—Anton Troianovski, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hardheaded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded
Adjective
-
Dalman, 26, just reached the end of his rookie contract with the Atlanta Falcons and is heralded as a smart, steady lineman who can be an asset as a run blocker.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2025
-
My vision remains centered on achieving justice for crime victims through effective prosecution, intervention, and the smart use of technology.—
Brenda Looper,
arkansasonline.com,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
One daughter, loving but stubborn, leaves for Vilna to study nursing.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2025
-
The true top is still stubborn, though: In 2023 women made up just over 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs, 9% of the FTSE CEOs, and 5.4% of CEOs of the S&P Global Broad Market Index.—
Kweilin Ellingrud,
TIME,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
One faction is taking a pragmatic approach that appeals to voters in the middle, while others want more action, such as protests and interruptions like U.S. Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) at the president's joint address to Congress.—
Mike Allen,
Axios,
14 Mar. 2025
-
This state-federal split reflects a pragmatic approach designed to maintain market flexibility while ensuring sufficient regulatory oversight at the federal level.—
Tonya M. Evans,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Subscribe Kuok Meng Wei, whose grandfather was once called the world’s shrewdest businessman by Forbes, is leading his family into what the 41-year-old describes as the hottest industry in decades.—
Jonathan Burgos,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Before ever stepping into the shoes of the shrewd lawyer Miranda Hobbes, Nixon had appeared in over 2,000 live performances of plays like The Philadelphia Story, The Real Thing, and Angels in America.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Theoretically, then, the pressure is off, but Howe is adamant this season cannot be allowed to peter out.—
Chris Waugh,
The Athletic,
18 Mar. 2025
-
And while head coach Carlo Ancelotti was adamant that Alvarez kicked the ball twice, Simeone wasn’t having any of it after being shown a clip of it by Movistar prior to heading to his post-match press conference.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford have proven to be astute additions with the ability to alter the flow of games from the bench.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
The Athletic,
11 Mar. 2025
-
However, if Means returns to anything close to his 2019 form, the Guardians will have made a very astute investment.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Now in its 46th year, This Old House, originally hosted by Bob Vila, is a pioneer in the genre with a realistic renovation of projects on older homes, helpful information, a sense of authenticity, and a reliable source for DIY home improvement knowledge.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Users will be able to layer development proposals over realistic cityscapes, enabling them to see how new buildings would appear in relation to existing structures.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
What started as a practical swap in immigrant communities became a beloved holiday meal—one that still brings people together, even as its form continues to change.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Here's some step-by-step, practical advice about how to keep your toaster oven clean— and advice on how to clean it when all seems lost.—
Matthew Korfhage,
WIRED,
16 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share