adj
hardheaded
adj
1
Stubborn and unwilling to change one's mind.
"She's too hardheaded to admit she was wrong."
"His hardheaded refusal to compromise stalled the negotiations."
2
Practical and realistic rather than sentimental; pragmatic.
"The report offered a hardheaded assessment of the company's finances."
"Good business owners need a hardheaded approach to risk."
How to Use Hardheaded
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither stubborn, or coolly practical rather than emotional — the meaning depends on context.
Common pairings
hardheaded businessman
hardheaded realism
hardheaded and stubborn
Word Forms
more hardheaded comparative, harderheaded comparative, most hardheaded superlative, hardestheaded superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “hardheaded”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She's too _____ to admit she was wrong.
Etymology
Formed from hard + headed, first recorded around the mid-15th century.