headspace

noun

head·​space ˈhed-ˌspās 

1

: the volume above a liquid or solid in a closed container

The demonstrator suggests that the slow leakage of hydrogen from the balloons … allowed for the accumulation of hydrogen and oxygen in the bag's headspace.

—Chemical and Engineering News

To process sauce, immediately ladle hot sauce into hot, clean half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.

—Better Homes and Gardens

2

: vertical space in which to stand, sit, or move : headroom

The sleeping area [of a tiny house] looks restful and thanks to the curved roof, probably has more headspace than most …

—Kimberly Mok

3

informal : mind-set, frame of mind

"It's difficult to tell how people have changed," says Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien. "But Thom's been in a better headspace for quite a few years."

—Brian Raftery

Examples of headspace in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And an unaired scene on day 21 shows a key player’s mental headspace and game face going into a crucial competition. —Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Dec. 2025

Transfer to 2 clean half-pint jars, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace in each. —Faye Levy, Oc Register, 3 Dec. 2025

What’s your pre-game ritual or anything in particular that gets you in the right headspace to perform every Tuesday night? —Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025

Mercury enters Sagittarius on the 29th, launching you into a more playful, philosophical headspace. —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 26 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for headspace

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase