Hardheaded means stubbornly practical and refusing to let emotions cloud your judgment. A hardheaded person sticks to facts and logic even when others try to sway them with feelings or wishful thinking.

When your friend insists their favorite team will win the championship despite a terrible record, you might be the hardheaded one who points out they've lost twelve games in a row. When a business owner makes hardheaded decisions, they look at the actual numbers and facts rather than just hoping things will work out.

The word carries two sides. Being hardheaded can mean you're realistic and sensible, someone who won't be fooled by empty promises or sweet talk. A hardheaded negotiator won't accept a bad deal just because someone acts friendly. But hardheaded can also suggest stubbornness taken too far: refusing to listen to good advice or being so focused on cold facts that you miss what really matters.

Some people use hardheaded and hotheaded interchangeably, but they're opposites. A hotheaded person acts impulsively from strong emotions, while a hardheaded person stays cool and rational, sometimes to a fault. You might admire someone's hardheaded realism when they save you from a bad choice, but find it frustrating when they won't budge even slightly.