headway

noun

head·​way ˈhed-ˌwā How to pronounce headway (audio)
1
a
: motion or rate of motion in a forward direction
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

Example Sentences

the ant was making little headway carrying a crumb that was about five times his size
Recent Examples on the Web The field made further headway in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey stalled for days over the greater Houston region, dumping as much as 60 inches of rain in places, far exceeding previous records. Lois Parshley, Scientific American, 16 May 2023 One making the most headway — and drawing some of the fiercest criticism — would label fentanyl deaths as poisonings and treat them as homicides. Maggie Prosser, Dallas News, 12 May 2023 As all of this is coming to a headway, with multiple outlets reporting that prosecutors are nearing a decision on potential charges against Hunter Biden. Joel Mathis, The Week, 9 May 2023 By allowing employees some control over their own schedules, employers can make major headway in improving the working experience of their staff and keeping them happy. Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, Forbes, 3 May 2023 Prioritizing an agile approach will facilitate making rapid, impactful headway against climate change. Kate Brandt, Fortune, 25 Apr. 2023 Russia’s own winter offensive in the eastern Donbas made only marginal headway and failed to capture all of the city of Bakhmut, despite significant losses on both sides. Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Apr. 2023 Experts are predicting severe weather to hit southeast Michigan on Wednesday afternoon, leaving residents with some headway to prepare. Miriam Marini, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2023 Researchers made rapid headway in understanding covid’s patterns of sickness and death and in developing vaccines and treatments. Amy Goldstein, Dan Keating, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'headway.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of headway was in 1730

Dictionary Entries Near headway

Cite this Entry

“Headway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headway. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

headway

noun
head·​way -ˌwā How to pronounce headway (audio)
1
: motion forward
2

More from Merriam-Webster on headway

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