headfirst

adverb

head·​first ˈhed-ˈfərst 

1

: with the head foremost

dove headfirst into the waves

2

: headlong sense 2

headfirst adjective

Examples of headfirst in a Sentence

She dove into the water headfirst.

She rushed into the relationship headfirst.

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, Alpenglow Expeditions founder Adrian Ballinger, is constantly leaning headfirst into uncertainties, having led more than 150 climbs across six continents, most impressively summiting Mount Everest 10 times. — Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2026

The pitch was high, and the headfirst-sliding Guzman was able to get his left hand onto the plate just ahead of Janicki's tag. — CBS News, 12 June 2026

Students said being on the robotics team offered them a chance to dive headfirst into engineering and design, things that several team members wanted to explore but did not have easy access to. — P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2026

Still, diving headfirst into the city and a competitive industry was a shock. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 28 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for headfirst

• accursed
• amerced
• cloudburst
• coerced
• conversed
• disbursed
• dispersed
• immersed
• outburst
• rehearsed
• reversed
• starburst

Kids Definition

headfirst

adverb

head·​first ˈhed-ˈfərst 

: with the head foremost

headfirst adjective