wrongheadedness

1 8.6

A strong refusal to change mistaken opinions even when there is evidence

noun
/ˈrɔŋˌhɛdədnəs/

: equivocación

Many believe that the wrongheadedness of certain policies harms the most vulnerable members of society.

And we're seeing the kind of waste by product of of wrongheadedness.

Examples

Once again, I'm grateful for the wrongheadedness of prose.

Academic text (2009)
My conclusion is that university personnel should understand cheating as a product of values change rather than as willful wrongheadedness on the part of students.

Academic text (2011)
Socialists are serious people; totally wrongheaded, of course, but very serious, and they have carefully thought out their wrongheadedness.

Blog text (13)
The committee's wrongheadedness led to decisions that ignored critical evidence.
She often debates the wrongheadedness of ignoring climate change when discussing environmental policies.

Synonyms

stubbornness

vswrongheadedness

21 3.6

Refusing to change your mind or actions even when there are good reasons

is more specific by highlighting that the held ideas are wrong or misguided

denialism

vswrongheadedness

Formal

6 8.2

Refusing to accept clear facts or evidence from science and history

is broader, meaning being wrong or holding bad ideas even beyond facts rejection

obstinacy

vswrongheadedness

3 7.6

Refusing to change your mind or actions even when others ask you to

adds that those persistent opinions are often misguided or mistaken

dogmatism

vswrongheadedness

3 7.5

A tendency to say your ideas are always right and ignore evidence

is less formal, covering wrong ideas held stubbornly rather than strict doctrinal certainty

narrow-mindedness

vswrongheadedness

2 7.4

Not willing to accept opinions or ways that are different from your own

is broader by combining that closed attitude with holding clearly mistaken ideas

pigheadedness

vswrongheadedness

Informal

1 7.9

Refusing to change your mind even when you are wrong

includes that refusal but stresses the ideas are also misguided or wrong

obstinance

vswrongheadedness

1 7.9

Being stubborn and refusing to change your mind

extends that firmness to include holding incorrect beliefs against evidence

misguidedness

vswrongheadedness

1 7.2

A state of having wrong ideas that lead people to make bad choices

adds the feature of keeping those ideas despite evidence against them

boneheadedness

vswrongheadedness

Offensive

1 8.2

Being very foolish and not willing to change, causing mistakes

also involves poor thinking but emphasizes keeping those ideas despite proof

bullheadedness

vswrongheadedness

1 8.3

Refusing to change ideas or plans even when it is not reasonable

is similar but focuses more on the ideas being incorrect as well

unreasonableness

vswrongheadedness

1 6.0

An action or decision that is unfair and does not make sense

adds that the unsensible behaviour often comes from holding incorrect beliefs

Antonyms

reasonableness

8 3.7

A quality of being fair, sensible, and showing good judgment

How Wrongheaded

perversity

9 8.6

pigheadedness

Informal

1 7.9

wrongheadedness

1 8.6

misguidedness

1 7.2

error

306 1.0

Surface Forms

wrongheadedness singular

wrongheadednesses plural

Morphology

wrongheadedness = wrongheaded (transparent) = wrong + head + ness

The noun is a regular nominalization of the adjective 'wrongheaded' formed with '-ness'; 'wrongheaded' itself is directly built from 'wrong' + 'headed'.

Etymology

Wrongheadedness breaks into wrong, head, and -ness, so imagine someone with a 'wrong' sign on their head to picture bad or stubborn thinking. The head part means 'mind' or 'thinking' and -ness makes it a 'quality', so wrongheadedness is the quality of having misguided or stubborn ideas.