bullheaded

American  

[bool-hed-id] / ˈbʊlˈhɛd ɪd /

adjective

1. obstinately opinionated, especially in refusing to consider alternatives; stubborn.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bullheadedness
  noun
• bullheadedly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of bullheaded

First recorded in 1810–20; bull ¹ + head + -ed ³

Explanation

If someone complains that you're bullheaded, they mean you're impossibly stubborn. Your bullheaded dog may refuse to jump in your car, not budging an inch no matter how hard you pull on her leash. When you call someone bullheaded, you're commenting on their obstinate nature, and maybe implying that they're not very smart. Your bullheaded friend probably tends to act without thinking. The word dates from the early 19th century, from the idea that a bull charges forward with strength and determination, but without any thought or contemplation.

Example Sentences

Patterson should have died from a nasty superbug picked up in Egypt in 2015 — except Patterson is married to bullheaded epidemiologist Steffanie Strathdee.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2024

“This notion of bullheaded romantic persistence is a recurring cultural touchstone—countless movies, music and books celebrate the heroics of steadfast pursuit with admiration,” Valsthein says.

From Scientific American • Jul. 26, 2023

Feisty and bullheaded, his office walls covered with animal trophies and a 10-foot grizzly pelt, Young was a former riverboat captain willing to do anything to send money home to Alaska.

From Washington Post • Mar. 29, 2022

Of course, Swift’s persistence and evolution as a songwriter and performer since then has muted those mutterings except among the most bullheaded snobs.

From Slate • Apr. 9, 2021

The eyes of the most bullheaded boys radiate a shining determination: every ounce of their attention has been trained to ferret out weakness.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr