hardheaded

adjective

hard·​head·​ed ˈhärd-ˈhe-dəd How to pronounce hardheaded (audio)
1
2
: concerned with or involving practical considerations : sober, realistic
some hardheaded advice
a hardheaded observer of winds and tides
hardheadedly adverb
hardheadedness noun

Examples of hardheaded in a Sentence

He was always hardheaded about getting his way. We need to take a more hardheaded approach to these problems. She gave him some hardheaded advice.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Flash mobs in the Loop are a real problem demanding hardheaded solutions. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025 British officials know this and sometimes despair that their country has not found a way to be more hardheaded. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025 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 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

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hardheaded was circa 1532

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Cite this Entry

“Hardheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardheaded. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

hardheaded

adjective
hard·​head·​ed ˈhärd-ˈhed-əd How to pronounce hardheaded (audio)
1
2
: marked by sound judgment
a hardheaded judgment
hardheadedly adverb
hardheadedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hardheaded

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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