thickheaded
Slow to understand
Thickheaded means slow to understand or stubbornly resistant to new ideas—as if the skull were too thick for anything to penetrate.
The word is blunter than *dense* but milder than *stupid*: Don't be so thickheaded—just read the instructions.
A thickheaded person may be intelligent but unwilling to grasp what seems obvious to others.
Lacking mental acuity
- slow-wittedLacking mental quickness
- dullLacking edge or interest
- denseClosely packed together
- obtuseLacking mental sharpness
dopey · doltish · boneheaded · blockheaded · wooden-headed · slow · unintelligent · witless
Firmly refusing to yield
- bullheadedStubbornly refusing to yield
- pigheadedStubbornly refusing to yield
- mulishStubbornly refusing to yield
- hardheadedStubbornly unyielding or practical
headstrong · willful · intransigent · unbending · inflexible · uncompromising · dogged · pertinacious
Lacking reason or awareness
- inaneLacking sense or meaning
- empty-headedLacking sense or intelligence
- muddleheadedLacking mental clarity
- addledConfused, unable to focus
befuddled · scatterbrained · featherbrained · harebrained · foolish · silly · gullible · naive
Lacking any awareness
- uncomprehendingLacking grasp of meaning
- imperceptiveFailing to notice things
- insensitiveUnaware of others' emotions
- unawareLacking knowledge of something
blind · deaf · unseeing · unhearing · unreceptive · impervious · closed-minded · unobservant
dimwitted
Lacking mental acuity
- slow-wittedLacking mental quickness
- dullLacking edge or interest
- denseClosely packed together
obtuse · dopey · doltish · boneheaded · blockheaded · wooden-headed · slow · unintelligent · witless · brainless
obstinate
Firmly refusing to yield
- bullheadedStubbornly refusing to yield
- pigheadedStubbornly refusing to yield
- mulishStubbornly refusing to yield
hardheaded · headstrong · willful · intransigent · unbending · inflexible · uncompromising · dogged · pertinacious · stiff-necked
senseless
Lacking reason or awareness
- inaneLacking sense or meaning
- empty-headedLacking sense or intelligence
- muddleheadedLacking mental clarity
addled · befuddled · scatterbrained · featherbrained · harebrained · foolish · silly · gullible · naive
oblivious
Lacking any awareness
- uncomprehendingLacking grasp of meaning
- imperceptiveFailing to notice things
- insensitiveUnaware of others' emotions
unaware · blind · deaf · unseeing · unhearing · unreceptive · impervious · closed-minded · unobservant · incognizant
- foolishnessfoolishness, silliness, foolish, stupid, folly
thickheadedsharp
Fine-edged, or astute
quick-witted · intelligent · smart · sharp-witted · bright
thickheadedopen-minded
Receptive to different ideas
receptive · sensible · reasonable · rational · persuadable