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
The country was facing economic headwinds while also mired in the Korean war.
—
Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
That’s a headwind for the metal, which doesn’t pay interest.
—Yvonne Yue Li, Bloomberg, 18 Mar. 2026
As the independent film marketplace continues to experience headwinds, a new feature film finance and production outfit is popping up with the intention of guiding emerging filmmakers from development to distribution.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
Still, amid those considerable headwinds, Perry finds a way to get the job done.
—Chris Johnston, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwind
Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
That’s a headwind for the metal, which doesn’t pay interest.
—Yvonne Yue Li, Bloomberg, 18 Mar. 2026
As the independent film marketplace continues to experience headwinds, a new feature film finance and production outfit is popping up with the intention of guiding emerging filmmakers from development to distribution.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
Still, amid those considerable headwinds, Perry finds a way to get the job done.
—Chris Johnston, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwind
wind
Noun
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However, gusty winds could be a concern across the Intermountain West to the Rockies with this pattern.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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But all mangroves have elaborate root systems that hold the plants steady even when they're battered by waves and wind.—
Ryan Kellman,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headwind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwind. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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