clearheaded

American  

[kleer-hed-id] / ˈklɪərˈhɛd ɪd /

adjective

1. having or showing an alert mind.

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Other Word Forms

• clearheadedness
  noun
• clearheadedly
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of clearheaded

First recorded in 1700–10; clear + head ( def. ) + -ed ³ ( def. )

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Explanation

If you're clearheaded, you're wide awake, focused, and thinking sensibly. A clearheaded student will probably do better on a calculus test than her sleepy, confused classmate. Complex thought and analysis ideally requires a clearheaded thinker — and you can also describe the thinking and decisions themselves as clearheaded. A clearheaded debate between political candidates is much more useful and interesting than a muddled, angry, and confusing argument. The word clearheaded, sometimes spelled with a hyphen, clear-headed, originated in the early 18th century.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

clearheaded

The shoot required Cregger to be mostly nocturnal and work through bouts of walking pneumonia and a severe bacterial infection, but Abrams said the director was always clearheaded about what he wanted to achieve.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Deciding to rent first allows you to settle in slowly, let the early enthusiasm pass and put yourself in a position to make clearheaded decisions.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 24, 2026

In Chay Yew’s clearheaded production, with an excellent cast, the touching opera had little trouble making its impact at the performance on Saturday evening.

From New York Times ● May 19, 2024

I profusely thanked them, but am glad my friend who was with me was more clearheaded and offered them a cash tip.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 7, 2024

Never mind, I’ve been clearheaded enough to know all along that the Park Plaza apartment with kitchenette, at $179 a week, was not a long-term option on Wal-Mart’s $7 an hour.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

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