hardheaded

Hardheaded is an adjective describing a person who is stubborn or obstinate and resistant to opposing arguments or new information. The term often carries a negative valence, implying a refusal to change one's mind despite evidence, though in some contexts it can imply practical, realist stubbornness aimed at sensible outcomes.

The term is a compound of hard and headed, dating from the Early Modern period. It is usually hyphenated as hard-headed in older texts, though modern usage often presents it as a closed form, hardheaded. The noun form is hardheadedness.

In everyday speech, hardheaded can be critical or affectionate, depending on tone. It is commonly applied to decisions in business, politics, or personal life when a person persists with a plan despite counterarguments, or when caution and prudence are balanced with stubbornness.

Related terms include obstinate, stubborn, pigheaded, mulish, and intransigent; near-antonyms include flexible and open-minded. An example usage is: "She remained hardheaded about the project budget even as new data was presented."