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

: frontal sense 2b

a head-on confrontation

Synonyms

Adverb

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

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

Listen to this article Loading your audio article Waterbury police are investigating after four people were killed in a head-on collision Friday evening, officials said. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2024

Read More: How Cloud Seeding Works and Why It’s Wrongly Blamed for Floods From Dubai to California Present-day tornado research is often less flashy than fighting tornadoes head-on. —Kate Carpenter / Made By History, TIME, 19 July 2024

Adjective

Raquel Leviss will be addressing her actions head-on. —Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2023

Many of its rivals are also racing head-on into the EV market. —Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 20 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

head-on

adjective

-ˈȯn,

-ˈän

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

a head-on collision