clearheaded

American  

[kleer-hed-id] / ˈklɪərˈhɛd ɪd /

adjective

1. having or showing an alert mind.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• clearheadedness
  noun
• clearheadedly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of clearheaded

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

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.