headier; headiest
2
a
: tending to intoxicate or make giddy or elated
heady wine
being in such distinguished company was a heady experience
b
: giddy, exhilarated
heady with his success
c
: rich
a heady sauce
a heady variety
d
: impressive
a man of heady accomplishments
3
a
: marked by or showing good judgment : shrewd, intelligent
b
: intellectually stimulating or demanding
Synonyms
Examples of heady in a Sentence
The plane soared to heady heights.
They were heady with their newfound success.
Recent Examples on the Web
The heady enthusiasm of their sound, though, does not conceal the very real personal writing style of Sentana.
—
Max Pilley, Spin, 22 Sep. 2023
This dish pops with Thai flavors — taking us to that heady, bold convergence of tart, sweet, savory, salty, spicy and cool.
—Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
To be sure, Fox News faces heady industry challenges.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 21 Sep. 2023
Still, even as the stock market gets more receptive to IPOs, no one expects a return to the heady heights of 2020 and 2021.
—Aaron Pressman, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023
Writing a bassoon sextet is a heady accomplishment for any teenager, let alone having it be premiered by McDermott and leading members of the San Diego Symphony at a Mainly Mozart opening-night concert.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2023
The opening pause bursts open a door to heady confusion, woozy guitar, and all-around disorienting vibes.
—Jessica Gentile, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2023
The energy of Bangkok is a heady mixture of ancient traditions, swirls of incense, the sizzle of chilis on cast-iron woks, an explosion of colorful flowers, flashes of neon, and endless honking from sputtering tuk tuks.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2023
During the heady days of spring, the Journal’s editorial writers, like so many orthodox Republicans, were beguiled by the idea of Ron DeSantis.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 4 Sep. 2023
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Max Pilley, Spin, 22 Sep. 2023
This dish pops with Thai flavors — taking us to that heady, bold convergence of tart, sweet, savory, salty, spicy and cool.
—Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
To be sure, Fox News faces heady industry challenges.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 21 Sep. 2023
Still, even as the stock market gets more receptive to IPOs, no one expects a return to the heady heights of 2020 and 2021.
—Aaron Pressman, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023
Writing a bassoon sextet is a heady accomplishment for any teenager, let alone having it be premiered by McDermott and leading members of the San Diego Symphony at a Mainly Mozart opening-night concert.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2023
The opening pause bursts open a door to heady confusion, woozy guitar, and all-around disorienting vibes.
—Jessica Gentile, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2023
The energy of Bangkok is a heady mixture of ancient traditions, swirls of incense, the sizzle of chilis on cast-iron woks, an explosion of colorful flowers, flashes of neon, and endless honking from sputtering tuk tuks.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2023
During the heady days of spring, the Journal’s editorial writers, like so many orthodox Republicans, were beguiled by the idea of Ron DeSantis.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 4 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heady.' 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
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of heady was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near heady
Cite this Entry
“Heady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heady. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
heady
adjective
headier; headiest
1
2
: likely to make one giddy
heady wine
a heady height
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