as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
terrified forest creatures in a headlong retreat from the rapidly spreading fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in hastily
with excessive or careless speed
plunged headlong into the crowd in pursuit of the purse snatcher
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in immediately
without delay
had barely finished the last project when we went headlong into the next one
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of headlong
Paresh Sagar, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
This momentary pause, this saving interruption of the headlong, breathless trajectory of rape or murder, admitted a kind of compassion, pity, even tenderness, halting injustice in its tracks.
—Sarah Beckwith, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
President Donald Trump’s relentless use of tariffs to coerce foreign counterparts into favorable deals is about to run headlong into the limits of geopolitical reality.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for headlong
Adjective
The headlong rush to launch MVPs can mean skipping meaningful user validation, ethical vetting and technical hardening.
—Paresh Sagar, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
This momentary pause, this saving interruption of the headlong, breathless trajectory of rape or murder, admitted a kind of compassion, pity, even tenderness, halting injustice in its tracks.
—Sarah Beckwith, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
Adverb
That idea runs headlong into the danger of seemingly conscious AI.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
President Donald Trump’s relentless use of tariffs to coerce foreign counterparts into favorable deals is about to run headlong into the limits of geopolitical reality.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for headlong
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headlong
Adjective
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Modi’s meeting with Xi was neither a sudden response to Trump’s bullying nor a hurried reset of India’s relationship with China.—
TANVI MADAN,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Sep. 2025
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Foster’s hurried firing on Sunday morning comes after his hurried hiring in February 2024, his placement a band-aid one week after Chip Kelly bolted to be offensive coordinator at Ohio State.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Still, inmates were hastily transferred to other facilities.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
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Though Disney initially stayed on the sidelines as sportsbooks and broadcasters hastily paired up, PointsBet locked in NBC, William Hill walled off CBS, the Stars Group partnered with Fox and Penn National experimented with Barstool.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The Revolution provided a brief scare through a 59th-minute goal from Dor Turgeman, who embarrassed a defender before curling home a spectacular effort, but Inter Miami broke the tie almost immediately after the strike that made the score 2-1.—
Franco Panizo,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
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Robertson then returned to the mound for the seventh — and immediately put two on.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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These alternatives can often provide a richer, less rushed experience than a whirlwind day trip to Paris.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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The Dolphins had two delay-of-game penalties and a rushed play during their unsuccessful final two drives against New England.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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But as rumors swirled that the gang was on its way to launch another assault, merchants in the market could be seen hurriedly packing their goods.—
Ychmuth Corneille,
Miami Herald,
21 Sep. 2025
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Book influencers and everyday readers lined up hurriedly to take photos with Aster and get their manuscripts signed.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Wyatt Cowley of South Beloit, Illinois, a former employee of RFK Racing, said in the lawsuit that the company failed to implement reasonable cybersecurity measures and did not promptly notify victims about the data breach.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Oct. 2025
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As seen in a video shared on Instagram, the country star can be seen walking promptly toward a microphone to seemingly address what had happened before turning around and retrieving the object, now lying on the ground.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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An impulsive move can backfire.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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Woolf said that those with the condition may also be given antidepressants to treat low mood or mood stabilizers to manage manic symptoms, which can include elevated mood, impulsive behavior and sleep difficulties.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Ed is left alone on the farm after impulsively killing that brother (whose actual death might have been accidental) for breaking up the family unit and, the next year, losing Augusta to complications from a stroke.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
6 Oct. 2025
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Despite all that’s at stake, the project came together impulsively.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Headlong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headlong. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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