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
Sarah Chamberlain, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Right fielder Victor Robles, outfitted in two fluorescent armbands and pink cleats, caught the baseball with a headlong dive.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Those arguments are coming solely from the White House, where Trump himself, with no meaningful assistance from policy experts, has run the United States headlong into a diplomatic rupture with its closest allies, Defense and State Department sources tell The Times.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headlong
Adjective
With that lightness, making that headlong dive into uncertainty got easier.
—Sarah Chamberlain, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Right fielder Victor Robles, outfitted in two fluorescent armbands and pink cleats, caught the baseball with a headlong dive.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
Adverb
That sent Grand Canyon guard Makaih Williams racing to the other end, headlong toward the basket into a tangle of Aztecs defenders.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Those arguments are coming solely from the White House, where Trump himself, with no meaningful assistance from policy experts, has run the United States headlong into a diplomatic rupture with its closest allies, Defense and State Department sources tell The Times.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headlong
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headlong
Adjective
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Pre-existing structures, supported by documentation and commercial logic, carry far more weight than hurried adjustments made after funds are already exposed.—
Ascend Agency,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
They were blown out by the Boston Celtics on Sunday before losing by one at home to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday when Luka Doncic passed up a three and threw the ball to LeBron James, who missed a hurried, last-second three.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Residents have claimed the project was approved hastily with little debate or public notice.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
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Even the biographies now hastily being published by the regime don’t list any other jobs for him.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
9 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Authorities said to call 911 immediately.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
12 Mar. 2026
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Iraq’s General Company for Ports was not immediately available to comment when contacted by CNBC.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Little emphasized the need to ease property taxes in a letter accompanying his signature but criticized Moyle’s approach as rushed and overly complex.—
Mark Dee
March 6,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
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May 21 – June 20 Steady, thoughtful sentences are your friend — skip the rushed word vomit!—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Radcliffe exclaims in his London accent, walking hurriedly towards Liu and hugging her.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The legislature hurriedly endorsed the sale during a special session in 2024, adopting — without a public hearing — the enabling legislation needed to allow an unregulated, nonprofit company to buy a regulated water utility.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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The family of a man fatally shot during a homecoming event at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania has filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging the university's failure to maintain adequate security and promptly respond to warnings of potential violence contributed to his death.—
Frederick Sutton Sinclair,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Wahlin added his second of the night 45 seconds after that for a 4-2 lead before LSSU pulled goalie Roke Applebee, who made 38 saves, and Van Vliet took advantage of the empty net to promptly pump in his second of the contest.—
Tom Carothers,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The dispensing of moral instruction is an often tiresome staple of child-friendly animation, but the lessons that Mabel must learn—to be less impulsive, less strident, and more willing to see the good in others—also turn out to be shrewd organizational and negotiating tactics.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
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The impulsive reaction to this data is a trap.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Our next step is to understand how cells controlling hesitation interact with drugs treating ADHD and OCD, conditions where patients can respond impulsively during volatile or uncertain situations.—
Eric Yttri,
The Conversation,
12 Feb. 2026
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Make Impulse Purchases People with organized homes are mindful not to buy things impulsively, explains Kristen Ziegler, the founder of Minima in Richmond, Virginia.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headlong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headlong. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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