headway

noun

head·​way ˈhed-ˌwā 

1

a

: motion or rate of motion in a forward direction

b

: advance, progress

2

: headroom (as under an arch) sufficient to allow passage

3

: the time interval between two vehicles traveling in the same direction on the same route

Synonyms

• advance
• advancement
• furtherance
• going
• march
• onrush
• passage
• process
• procession
• progress
• progression

Examples of headway in a Sentence

the ant was making little headway carrying a crumb that was about five times his size

Recent Examples on the Web

If mortgage rates aren’t making much headway one way or the other this year, neither is the housing market itself. —Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025

However, the prospect for making significant headway on deficit reduction is not encouraging. —Nick Sargen, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025

Better conditions expected in the coming days should help fire crews to make even more headway and allow residents to return to their neighborhoods to begin rebuilding. —Jaimie Ding, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025

While the United States' standoff with China shows no signs of cooling, some headway on trade deals are being made with some nations. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing headway

• make headway

Rhymes for headway

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

headway

noun

head·​way -ˌwā 

1

: motion forward

2

: progress entry 1 sense 2