head-on

1 of 2

adverb

ˈhed-ˈȯn 

-ˈän

1

: with the head or front making the initial contact

the cars collided head-on

2

: in direct opposition, confrontation, or contradiction

met the problem head-on

head-on

2 of 2

adjective

1

: having the front facing in the direction of initial contact or line of sight

a head-on collision

2

: very direct : frontal sense 2b

a head-on confrontation

Synonyms of head-on

Adverb

• head-to-head
• one-on-one
• toe-to-toe
• face-to-face
• eyeball-to-eyeball

Examples of head-on in a Sentence

Adverb

the underdog team met its more talented opponent head-on and won the hockey game through sheer grit

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Volvo shared some new crash footage with Popular Science, showing how their design choices protect drivers even during head-on moose collisions. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 18 June 2026

On a new episode of Call Her Daddy, Wilde digs in, addressing many of those controversies head-on while eliding others. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 June 2026

Adjective

In a non-motorcycle incident, two men also were killed and two others also were seriously injured in a head-on collision in Chaplin late Friday night. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026

Moments later, police say Carvahlo slammed head-on into a Chevy Cruze being driven by a Haverhill man in his 20s. — Matt Schooley, CBS News, 28 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for head-on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

Kids Definition

head-on

adjective

-ˈȯn, 

-ˈän

: having the head or front facing forward : front to front

a head-on collision