headwind

noun

head·​wind ˈhed-ˌwind 

plural headwinds

1

: a wind having the opposite general direction to a course of movement (as of an aircraft)

2

: a force or influence that inhibits progress

Power-plant construction is facing headwinds in the U.S. as renewable energy projects and slack demand throw the economics of new generators into question.

—Thomas Black

For generations, the tribe has been leaning into cultural headwinds to preserve a language on the brink of extinction.

—Kevin Simpson

The plan faces political headwinds from both sides of the aisle …

—Heidi M. Przybyla

Examples of headwind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In an economy that’s driven by consumption, that could pose a headwind to bringing inflation all the way to the Fed’s 2% target. — Catarina Saraiva, Fortune, 28 June 2026

On the flip side, the headwinds of declining consumption and high production costs are creating pockets of opportunity. — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

In short, trading signals by senior corporate executives were a useful predictor of future stock performance when the company faced headwinds and had to trim staff. — D. Brian Blank, The Conversation, 29 June 2026

Although regulatory barriers and equipment bottlenecks were also identified as headwinds, neither of them was bad enough to cancel ongoing or proposed projects. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 2 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1709, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for headwind

• chagrined
• downwind
• rescind
• upwind
• whirlwind
• woodwind
• finned
• ginned
• grinned
• pinned
• sinned
• skinned

Kids Definition

headwind

noun

head·​wind -ˌwind 

: a wind blowing in a direction opposite to a course of movement (as of a ship or aircraft)