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.
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Recent Examples of headwind
More recently, national and state politics have produced stronger headwinds for events like GayDays.
—
Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2026
Funding the Time Lord No decision more neatly demonstrates the nasty headwinds facing scripted than Disney pulling out of the Doctor Who deal with the BBC, BBC Studios and Bad Wolf after just two seasons.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
On top of that headwind, shoppers are getting picky and more demanding of a seamless returns process.
—Peter Sadera, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
Sony’s hardware business is expected to face headwinds this year from rising component costs.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwind
Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2026
Funding the Time Lord No decision more neatly demonstrates the nasty headwinds facing scripted than Disney pulling out of the Doctor Who deal with the BBC, BBC Studios and Bad Wolf after just two seasons.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
On top of that headwind, shoppers are getting picky and more demanding of a seamless returns process.
—Peter Sadera, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
Sony’s hardware business is expected to face headwinds this year from rising component costs.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwind
wind
Noun
-
By Monday, a potent low-pressure center will come ashore somewhere around the San Francisco Bay Area, blanketing the state in widespread precipitation and gusty winds.—
Ian Livingston,
Washington Post,
14 Feb. 2026
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Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel already established a Gothic world in which the trauma is as loud as the wind on the moors, and Emerald Fennell’s adaptation excises major portions of the book to streamline that atmospheric darkness and ultimate tragedy.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headwind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwind. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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