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 Beckwith, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
In his headlong rush to success, an oddball comedian abandons his most loyal allies.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 7 May 2025
Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2025
Oils, cement, stone, glass and machinery rank as India's top purchases from the U.S.
Trump continues to plunge headlong into a tariffs strategy that has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the global economy.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for headlong
Adjective
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
In his headlong rush to success, an oddball comedian abandons his most loyal allies.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 7 May 2025
Adverb
At the same time, loosening rules on oil permits may run headlong into California’s lofty decarbonization goals.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2025
Oils, cement, stone, glass and machinery rank as India's top purchases from the U.S.
Trump continues to plunge headlong into a tariffs strategy that has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the global economy.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for headlong
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headlong
Adjective
-
Some sequences feel hurried, some satirical dialogue is a little too on the nose and a special effect around the climax lacks the polish of the production design elsewhere.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
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Additionally, hurried or reactive infrastructure development may expose the investor to significant foreign asset reporting and tax burdens (NCTI, for example) that could have been mitigated if a multi-disciplinary framework had been considered.—
Priya Prakash Royal Esq. LL.M. MBA AEP TEP,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Instead of being judged for the killing of an Arab man, Meursault is ultimately blamed for showing little emotion at the recent funerals for his late mother and hastily starting a relationship with Marie Cardona (Rebecca Marder).—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
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Johnson appointed 11 of the 21 board members — including a member hastily named to fill a vacancy seemingly just for this vote — yet three of his appointees voted in opposition to his wishes.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Moved by her mother’s words, the couple got engaged on July 23, 2025, and decided to plan their wedding immediately.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Officers said — and video showed — the rancher moved his hands into his jacket after exiting his truck immediately following the crash.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In her post, the 27-year-old shares how a rushed layover and a tight schedule turned a simple flight connection into an emotional ordeal.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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However, concerns have been raised by industry stakeholders about a rushed and opaque consultation process, with some fearing prior targets will be watered down.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
Adverb
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Lowell jumped on the bandwagon and hurriedly so, bankrolling and putting himself in charge of an expedition to Arizona territory to set up a telescope ahead of Mars nearing the Earth in 1894.—
Maren Longbella,
Boston Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
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Another photo shows Brown looking back while hurriedly carrying two bags through airport security.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
1 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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To adapt, my business offers 24/7 rapid service, responds promptly to every enquiry, and goes out of our way to accommodate each client.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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If anyone shows signs of heat illness, promptly move them to a cool, shaded area.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Reflective self-talk while performing tasks gives you self-regulation and prevents the lightning-fast, reflexive emotional self-talk from making impulsive decisions that lead to errors and mistakes.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Ari is a rich kid from New York, who is an impulsive motormouth desperate for Sam’s affection.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
7 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Panicked over his wife, Penny, nearing death, John acted impulsively to try and protect the truth about his wife’s murder from getting out.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
28 Aug. 2025
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These two strains cross paths when Prodigy founder Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin) impulsively sends his hybrids to investigate the Maginot wreck and recover its cargo.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Headlong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headlong. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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