: unwilling to recognize or acknowledge a problem or situation
the government's usual head-in-the-sand response

Examples of head-in-the-sand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
What is clear, though, is that the head-in-the-sand approach used by many current founders isn’t a lasting solution. Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 30 Sep. 2024 Considering that our organizations—and society at large—are aging at an accelerated pace, adopting a head-in-the-sand approach will prove increasingly detrimental. Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2024 But to say Starship will not be a game-changer represents the same head-in-the-sand attitude displayed by Bowles a decade ago with his jokes about not waking the deluded dreamers up. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 26 June 2024 Climate change has changed that — no matter what the head-in-the-sand types say. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 June 2024 Of course, sooner or later, these head-in-the-sand elites must face the reality that China’s rise is ending, especially as the post-investment-binge deflationary spiral begins to play out. Daniel Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 11 Jan. 2016 Rather than prop up her parents as easy targets, Bartlett lays bare their contradictory humanity over a 44-year journey from wide-eyed idealism to head-in-the-sand egotism. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2024 Moran rejects the climate-change denialism that many head-in-the-sand Republicans embrace. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of head-in-the-sand was in 1970

Dictionary Entries Near head-in-the-sand

Cite this Entry

“Head-in-the-sand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/head-in-the-sand. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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