hard-headed

adjective

1. tough, realistic, or shrewd; not moved by sentiment

2. stubborn; obstinate

Other Word Forms

• hard-headedness noun
• hard-headedly adverb

Example Sentences

On one hand, we have the abject failure of the supposedly hard-headed centrists, who spent 40 years doing the bidding of bankers and plutocrats while promising that slashing government spending and deregulating the financial markets — along with the other dogmas of neoliberal gospel — would someday, somehow, bring universal prosperity.

From Salon

Levy's reputation as a hard-headed businessman - with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson famously describing him as "more painful to deal with than a hip replacement" - disguised a rarely-seen softer side.

From BBC

Whether that’s hard-headed realpolitik or deep-seated cynicism and corruption is up for debate, but it should sound familiar to anyone acquainted with the Democratic Party’s 40-year trajectory.

From Salon

He has played the hard-headed Brian Aldridge for 50 years, and wants to carry on for at least a little longer.

From BBC

Andrew Cuomo—the hard-headed former governor of New York state —became something of a national hero in 2020 with his no-nonsense press conferences.

From Slate

Related Words

• astute 
• hard-nosed 
• headstrong 
• obstinate 
• practical 
• pragmatic 
• rational 
• sensible 
• shrewd 
• sober 
• unsentimental