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
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
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Solar energy, smart home tech and open-air designs are more popular, too.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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Learn about Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles, smart irrigation, vegetable gardening, and flower species to attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects.—
Joe Rassel,
Orlando Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Another type of hyperpigmentation that kojic acid can help with is melasma—a stubborn and hard-to-treat skin condition characterized by splotchy, brown or grayish patches.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
4 Mar. 2025
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But four months after becoming the first Republican in two decades to win the popular vote, Trump faces a new reality of needing to tackle some of the most stubborn challenges awaiting any new president and deliver on his campaign promises to lower prices.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Such a pragmatic view would not undermine American or Western principles and lead to a more durable peace agreement that does not compromise our values.—
Saleem H. Ali,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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Woody Harrelson co-stars as Lemons’ mentor, Duncan Allcock, while Simu Liu plays their pragmatic colleague Dave Yuasa.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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As seen through Leite’s hedonistic sensibilities, Brazil’s red-light districts vibrated with intoxicating samba and bohemian camaraderie; shrewd madams kept the police at bay, and clients did not dare mistreat the women.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Warner was adamant that oppressors should be stopped not only using military force, but also with intellectual muscle and dialogue.—
Chris Yogerst / Made by History,
TIME,
6 Mar. 2025
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House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Miami Republican who championed the law in 2022, has been adamant that mandatory financial reserves for building maintenance are essential in preventing another building from crumbling to the ground.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Both companies are dominant in their industries and feature very strong, astute leadership.—
StockStory Team,
CNBC,
22 Feb. 2025
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The financially astute among you (which is all of you, dear readers) will have spotted that a $599 phone being paid off at $5.99 a month should take 100 months, right?—
David Phelan,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The two decided to use handheld cameras, an unusual technique in Mexico at the time, to make the film feel viscerally realistic.—
Stephania Taladrid,
The New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2025
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And it’s been wonderful to have such a realistic set.—
Alex Jhamb Burns,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, conversations with a spouse or partner will be practical and serious.—
Georgia Nicols,
The Denver Post,
4 Mar. 2025
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Using Media As An Influencer: Support non-commercial informative content that educates consumers on practical steps to reduce their carbon footprints.—
Srikanth Ramachandran,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardheaded. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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