Thick-headed

Thick-headed describes someone who is slow to understand, unintelligent, or stubborn in their thinking. It implies a lack of mental sharpness, a difficulty in grasping concepts, or a resistance to new ideas or opinions. Often, it suggests a person is dense, not easily persuaded, and may struggle with abstract thought or complex reasoning. The term can be used playfully or pejoratively, depending on context and intent, usually referring to a lack of intellectual agility rather than a deliberate malice or malicious intent. It reflects an inability or unwillingness to quickly and thoroughly process new information.

Thick-headed meaning with examples

• Despite my detailed instructions, he failed to grasp the procedure, proving just how thick-headed he could be when it came to anything technical. His inability to connect the dots frustrated the rest of the team.
• The teacher sighed as the student consistently missed the point, seemingly thick-headed when it came to even the simplest mathematical concepts. Homework often took twice as long to mark.
• She refused to listen to any counterarguments, her thick-headed determination to prove her point led to an unnecessary argument. It seemed like she was always right and had a point to prove.
• He's usually quite charming, but when it comes to emotional matters, he can be incredibly thick-headed, failing to recognize her feelings even when she was practically spelling them out.