heady

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adjective \ ˈhe-dē \

Definition of heady

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

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headily

play \ˈhe-də-lē\ adverb

—

headiness

play \ˈhe-dē-nəs\ noun

See heady defined for English-language learners

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Examples of heady in a Sentence

The plane soared to heady heights.
They were heady with their newfound success.

Recent Examples of heady from the Web

Amsterdam has turned the attic where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis into a museum, educating tourists about the darker chapters of this heady city’s history.

— julia ioffe, The Atlantic, "How to Repurpose a Bad Statue," 21 Aug. 2017
Remember the heady predictions of a Trumpian America in the wake of the surprising, though historically narrow, election?

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Obama’s Legacy Is Finally Coming Into Focus, Thanks to Trump," 1 Aug. 2017
With James, her primary concern was making something that felt true, not something heady that addressed racial politics.

— yohana desta, HWD, "The Incredible Jessica Williams Is Ready to Be a Movie Star," 26 July 2017
Riley Ott, 5-5, PG, LaPorte Riley is a long, quick and heady lead guard.

— brandon bradley, The Courier-Journal, "Indiana girls basketball: Class of 2019 standouts from first July evaluation period," 18 July 2017
So talking about feelings about these very heady concepts, there’s this episode of This American Life about Fermi’s Paradox.

— jessica gross, Longreads, "Why Are Humans So Curious?," 18 July 2017
Instead of heady curries, there were warmly spiced lentils and vegetables.

— adriana velez, Bon Appetit, "This Eggplant Dish Inspired My Best Vacation Decision Ever," 10 July 2017
Walls' Thoreau is a heady and pensive philosopher-naturalist and writer.

— tom montgomery fate, chicagotribune.com, "Happy 200th Henry David Thoreau: New bio reframes naturalist, activist and philosopher," 5 July 2017
The Manhattan Project was forged in the heady days of a shooting war that Americans believed needed a swift and decisive resolution.

— kat eschner, Smithsonian, "Robert Oppenheimer’s Career Ended Long After the Bang, With a Whimper," 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'heady.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of heady

14th century

heady Synonyms

Synonyms

elated, elevated, enrapt, enraptured, entranced, euphoric, exhilarated, giddy, ecstatic, intoxicated, rapt, rapturous, rhapsodic (also rhapsodical)

Antonyms

depressed

Related Words

enchanted, exultant, glorying, jubilant, rejoicing, triumphant; enthusiastic, excited, gung ho, thrilled; blissed-out, blissful, delighted, glad, gratified, happy, joyful, joyous, pleased, satisfied, tickled

Near Antonyms

blue, brokenhearted, crestfallen, dejected, despondent, disconsolate, disheartened, doleful, down, downcast, downhearted, forlorn, gloomy, glum, hangdog, heartbroken, heartsick, heartsore, inconsolable, joyless, low, low-spirited, melancholy, miserable, mournful, sad, saddened, sorrowful, sorry, unhappy, woebegone, woeful, wretched

HEADY Defined for English Language Learners

heady

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adjective

Definition of heady for English Language Learners

: causing feelings of excitement or dizziness : having a powerful effect on your senses
: very excited and happy

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headiness

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Examples of heady in a Sentence

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First Known Use of heady

heady Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

HEADY Defined for English Language Learners

heady

Definition of heady for English Language Learners

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