Synonyms of headwind

headwind

noun

as in wind

an air movement that is blowing toward something (such as a ship or an airplane) as it moves forward

Stiff headwinds caused the flight to take longer than expected.

Related Words

• wind
• air
• gale
• blow
• breath
• breeze
• westerly
• southeaster
• northeaster
• norther
• puff
• flurry
• current
• blast
• zephyr
• whiff
• northwester
• southwester
• waft
• sea breeze
• windstorm
• draft
• tornado
• squall
• tempest
• airflow

Dissimilar Words

• tailwind
• calm

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of headwind

Macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds have also weighed on shares. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

Matthew Friend, Nike’s outgoing chief financial officer, told Wall Street that the company faces several headwinds unrelated to consumer demand or price sensitivity, including evolving tariff policies and geopolitical disruption in the Middle East. — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Navigating federal headwinds Though insurance premium payments often increase year over year, the 2026 plan year was particularly expensive, increasing by 58% on average. — Olivia Aldridge, NPR, 23 Aug. 2026

Investors and analysts poured scorn on US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s doubling of long-term bond purchases last week, which provided temporary relief but faces structural economic headwinds that are driving yields higher. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 23 Aug. 2026