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
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of headwind
Economic anxiety, conflict overseas, a polarizing mass deportation program and low approval ratings for the president might become headwinds for Lombardo, despite a Republican presidential candidate carrying the state for the first time in two decades in 2024.
—
Juhi Doshi, ABC News, 10 June 2026
But Lombardo faces headwinds from economic uncertainty in the state.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 9 June 2026
And now, there are fresh headwinds that make the math even more daunting.
—John W. Diamond, The Conversation, 9 June 2026
But Collins has survived headwinds here before and even a slight erosion of base support in November could be a problem for Platner.
—Julia Terruso, Time, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwind
Juhi Doshi, ABC News, 10 June 2026
But Lombardo faces headwinds from economic uncertainty in the state.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 9 June 2026
And now, there are fresh headwinds that make the math even more daunting.
—John W. Diamond, The Conversation, 9 June 2026
But Collins has survived headwinds here before and even a slight erosion of base support in November could be a problem for Platner.
—Julia Terruso, Time, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwind
wind
Noun
-
The nearest air quality monitor to the fires indicates that the worst pollution was detected on June 17 and has fluctuated in the following days depending on wind direction, weather and emergency workers’ efforts to contain the blazes.—
Allison Beck
June 19,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2026
-
Aeolus will collect data on Martian dust and cloud cover, winds and temperatures, according to a NASA release.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headwind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwind. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
