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

Thanks to ongoing economic headwinds affecting memory and storage, analysts are predicting retail prices could rise by up to $200. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

The United States is also facing gale-force productivity headwinds, such as the aging of the population and the relentlessly rising cost of health care, education, and housing. — Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 29 June 2026

In short, trading signals by senior corporate executives were a useful predictor of future stock performance when the company faced headwinds and had to trim staff. — D. Brian Blank, The Conversation, 29 June 2026

In an economy that’s driven by consumption, that could pose a headwind to bringing inflation all the way to the Fed’s 2% target. — Catarina Saraiva, Fortune, 28 June 2026