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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Recent Examples of hardheaded
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.
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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
What does matter is to stop being so hardheaded and close-minded.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2022
See all Example Sentences for hardheaded 
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
What does matter is to stop being so hardheaded and close-minded.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2022
See all Example Sentences for hardheaded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardheaded
Adjective
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Kim would be an excellent addition to this roster: defense, speed, smart ball player.Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 6 Dec. 2024
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But the smartest thing about it was giving it the goofy name of Operation: Italy.Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2024
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Salt And Oil Some cooks like to use coarse salt to remove stubborn messes on cast iron.Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Dec. 2024
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The year is 1600 and a stubborn British seaman piloting a Dutch ship washes ashore in Japan.Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024
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Experts and residents of Idlib describe their governance as pragmatic and influenced by both internal and external pressure, with efforts to distance themselves from a jihadist past and gain international acceptance.Mostafa Salem, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
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Under Frank, Riemer believes Brentford evolved from a dominant, possession-heavy Championship team to a more pragmatic one in the Premier League before becoming a more expansive outfit again following Toney’s sale to Al Ahli in the summer.Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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People And Beliefs About Angels The shrewdest place to begin an exploration of whether generative AI and large language models (LLMs) ought to believe in angels is best undertaken by considering the overall nature of human beliefs.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
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Schrader keeps things straight for viewers through the use of shrewd visual cues.Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Compounded by the trauma surrounding their conception, Tate and his brother were raised by their great-grandmother in Los Angeles, California, who was adamant that Tate was the firstborn.Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
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Fed chair Jerome Powell has been adamant that such a move would be against the law.Courtenay Brown, Axios, 4 Dec. 2024
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Haunted by an investigation that went unsolved years ago, the aged and beleaguered yet incredibly astute Deke is drawn back into the world of homicide after teaming up with the young, driven, idealistic Jim Baxter (Malek).Travis Bean, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
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The Polish festival could hardly ask for a jury chair more astute to the nuances of craft behind the camera as well as in front of it.Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The realistic goal setting by prioritizing the skill-relevant courses has assisted our employees in effectively dealing with this FOMO.Praveen Andapalli, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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The video has garnered more than 3.4 million views, captivating digital audiences with its hauntingly realistic portrayal of a bygone era.Melissa Fleur Afshar, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Build a practical roadmap for the next 6-12 months based on user feedback.Andrey Sergeenkov, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
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Through his extensive use of practical effects, Crowley designed sets where Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo could shine and come alive as Glinda and Elphaba.Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 2 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hardheaded
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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