heady

adjective

ˈhe-dē 

headier; headiest

1

a

: willful, rash

heady opinions

b

: violent, impetuous

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

headily

ˈhe-də-lē 

adverb

headiness

ˈhe-dē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• ecstatic
• giddy
• euphoric

Examples of heady in a Sentence

The plane soared to heady heights.

They were heady with their newfound success.

Recent Examples on the Web

Their Connecticut estate, Great Elm, housed ten children and a cavalcade of heady guests such as Albert Jay Nock, the author, anti–New Dealer, and casual anti-Semite. —Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025

Selecting the Right Plants for a Moon Garden To get the full impact of a moon garden, select plants that have white blooms, silvery foliage, and heady scents. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 June 2025

Though the heady Mahomes-Kelce connection will remain lethal in the red zone, Reid will need to find other playmakers to lighten the seven-time All-Pro’s in-season load. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2025

This time, the fragrance will capture the essence of summer, with heady notes of night blooming jasmine, green mandarin, kumquat and Siberian fir. —Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for heady

• ready
• reddi
• steady
• teddy
• thready
• already
• unsteady

Kids Definition

heady

adjective

ˈhed-ē 

headier; headiest

1

: willful sense 1, rash

2

: likely to make one giddy

heady wine

a heady height

headily

ˈhed-ə-lē 

adverb

headiness

ˈhed-ē-nəs 

noun