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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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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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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Recent Examples of hardheaded
Meryl is a hardheaded Candide, a sharp-eyed Don Quixote.
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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
Politicians like John Adams and Theodore Roosevelt, and hardheaded businessmen like John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan, supported Zionist aspirations as well.
—Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022
See all Example Sentences for hardheaded 
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
Politicians like John Adams and Theodore Roosevelt, and hardheaded businessmen like John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan, supported Zionist aspirations as well.
—Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022
See all Example Sentences for hardheaded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded
Adjective
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As with other types of small drone, this capability could spread quickly among both friendly and hostile forces, although replicating the smart AI software sets a much higher bar than simply copying hardware. Follow me on Twitter.David Hambling, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
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While members of Gen Alpha have become acquainted with smart technology and artificial intelligence, Gen Beta will experience AI and automation in every aspect of life, from school to work to healthcare and entertainment, McCrindle says.Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 1 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Too light, and stubborn product residue, oil, and impurities linger.Erin Parker, Allure, 3 Jan. 2025
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The rebuild the Hawks tried to put behind them this season is clinging to them like stubborn lint.Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 1 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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With a few pragmatic exceptions, fact checkers go over everything published by the magazine, editing for balance, fairness, and context.Fergus McIntosh, The New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2025
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The harsh reality is that in opting for a colder, more pragmatic approach, the means have to justify the end.Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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All the eagle-eyed scouting and shrewd personnel moves wouldn’t matter if the Broncos couldn’t find a replacement who could approximate or improve upon the production Wilson had provided during an 8-9 season in 2023.Nick Kosmider, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
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The company’s investment in Sid Gentle Films proved a shrewd move after the Killing Eve producer met performance targets following its sale to BBC Studios in 2022.Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Taylor was adamant not to let the photo mishap spoil the holiday for her son.Raven Brunner, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024
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But the Pentagon is adamant that the Osprey is safe and has continued to operate it despite mounting public concerns from family members, experts and lawmakers.Brad Dress, The Hill, 30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Observation Learn how to adapt to people and situations by being an astute observer and better-than-average listener.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
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And an understanding and analysis of the work and the film that is quite astute and eloquent and thoughtful without any other references or baggage in the mix.Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The court ruled then for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, ending any realistic prospect Trump could be tried before the November election.Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2025
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That said, completing virtually any realistic deal will be a major challenge.John Hollinger, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Robert was keen to have Bill’s fingers elongated as much as possible before becoming unusable from a practical standpoint.William Earl, Variety, 2 Jan. 2025
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One practical way your business may begin using AI in 2025 is by leveraging it to enhance efficiency in tasks like search and content creation.Petr Marek, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hardheaded
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
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