heady

1 of 2

adjective

ˈhe-dē 

headier; headiest

1

a

: willful, rash

heady opinions

b

: violent, impetuous

2

a

: tending to intoxicate or make giddy or elated

heady wine

being in such distinguished company was a heady experience

b

: giddy, exhilarated

heady with his success

c

: rich

a heady sauce

a heady variety

d

: impressive

a man of heady accomplishments

3

a

: marked by or showing good judgment : shrewd, intelligent

b

: intellectually stimulating or demanding

headily

ˈhe-də-lē 

adverb

headiness

ˈhe-dē-nəs 

noun

headiness

2 of 2

noun

head·​i·​ness -dēnə̇s 

-din-

plural -es

1

: rashness, headstrongness

headiness of youth

2

: intoxicating quality

the headiness of a spring morning

a perfume with a headiness impossible to describe

Synonyms of heady

Adjective

• ecstatic
• giddy
• euphoric

Examples of heady in a Sentence

Adjective

The plane soared to heady heights.

They were heady with their newfound success.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The film itself is just as slippery and multi-layered, down to Lee’s heady admixture of documentary and dramatic aesthetics. — Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

And yet his movie is mischievously multi-layered enough that the idea of covetousness does open up heady new seams of interpretation. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026

With an energy akin to Burning Man, the vibe is distinctly hippie; guests are gnawing to get into heady discussions. — Uma Raja, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026

White musk rounds everything out with a clean, airy finish, leaving the fragrance polished and inviting without becoming too heady. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English hedinesse, from hedy heady + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for heady

• ready
• reddi
• steady
• teddy
• thready
• already
• unsteady

Kids Definition

heady

adjective

ˈhed-ē 

headier; headiest

1

: willful sense 1, rash

2

: likely to make one giddy

heady wine

a heady height

headily

ˈhed-ə-lē 

adverb

headiness

ˈhed-ē-nəs 

noun