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

Whichever the case, the stuff needs to be dealt with head-on, and there’s no better time to do so than in the present. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2026

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

Adjective

Last weekend, five teenagers were killed when their BMW, heading the wrong way down the M9 near Dublin, hit another car head-on, seriously injuring three women and a child. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 24 Aug. 2026

Rather than hiding from the toughest challenges, Hill confronted them head-on despite knowingly taking on some short-term pain and cost. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 Aug. 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