heady

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

Synonyms of heady

• ecstatic
• giddy
• euphoric

Examples of heady in a Sentence

The plane soared to heady heights.

They were heady with their newfound success.

Recent Examples on the Web

The other is always saffron-rosewater, which is sunshine-yellow, heady as a summer garden, and lusciously silken in texture. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 June 2026

That’s because the costs of plunging back into the conflict now are prohibitive for both the US and Iran and that comes against the backdrop of some heady domestic political winds ahead of the midterms. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 26 June 2026

Driving on the freeway, the C10 carries itself with an air of gravitas that imparts a heady sense of assuredness to the driver. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 26 June 2026

In the 36th minute, Christian Pulisic was dribbling upfield when Tim made a heady cut into open space. — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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