pigheaded

American  

[pig-hed-id] / ˈpɪgˌhɛd ɪd /

adjective

1. stupidly obstinate; stubborn.

   pigheaded resistance.

   Synonyms:

   mulish, bullheaded

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Other Word Forms

• pigheadedly adverb
• pigheadedness noun

Etymology

Origin of pigheaded

First recorded in 1610–20; pig ¹ + headed ( def. 3 )

Explanation

Someone who's extremely stubborn, refusing to change their mind even when it's in their best interest, is pigheaded. It's almost impossible to get a pigheaded person to listen to your advice. If your brother refuses to wear a winter coat on a freezing winter day, obstinately sticking to this decision even after he steps outside and starts shivering, he's pigheaded. While the original meaning of this adjective was, briefly, "having a head resembling a pig's," it's long been used to mean "stupidly stubborn." This figurative meaning comes from the reputation of pigs as being stubbornly willful.

Example Sentences

And perhaps most cruelly, this pigheaded hubris hurts the most vulnerable the most.

From Scientific American • Sep. 1, 2023

The team’s thick, almost spreadable toum cranks up the volume on the stinking rose, allowing its pungency and pigheaded perfume to accessorize a number of dishes.

From Washington Post • Feb. 13, 2023

Like I stumbled into the career that I have simply for being too pigheaded to accept “no” for an answer.

From The Verge • May 4, 2022

Sadly, the tragedy remains that many animals are going extinct because of pigheaded humans who are both ignorant and stupid - when the last animal is no more what then for this trade?

From New York Times • Nov. 4, 2017

Then he declared, “Plus, I couldn’t live under his roof. He’s the most pigheaded man on the planet.”

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate