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Synonyms

headway

1 American  
[hed-wey] / ˈhɛdˌweɪ /

noun

  1. forward movement; progress in a forward direction.

    The ship's headway was slowed by the storm.

  2. progress in general.

    headway in a career.

  3. rate of progress.

    a slight headway against concerted opposition.

  4. the time interval or distance between two vehicles, as automobiles, ships, or railroad or subway cars, traveling in the same direction over the same route.

idioms

  1. make headway, to proceed forward; advance; progress.

headway 2 American  
[hed-wey] / ˈhɛdˌweɪ /

noun

  1. headroom.

headway British  
/ ˈhɛdˌweɪ /

noun

  1. motion in a forward direction

    the vessel made no headway

  2. progress or rate of progress

    he made no headway with the problem

  3. another name for headroom

  4. the distance or time between consecutive trains, buses, etc, on the same route

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
headway More Idioms  

  1. see make headway.

Etymology

Origin of headway1

First recorded in 1700–10; (a)head + way 1

Origin of headway2

First recorded in 1700–10; head + way 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Stocks have churned through the first two months of 2026, but the market has made little headway as investors grapple with the future of the AI trade, tariffs, interest rates, and more.

From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026

Her remarks came a day after Iran and the US said they had made headway in talks taking place in Geneva about Tehran's nuclear programme.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

District efforts to measure the fourth goal — social emotional learning — made little headway over the last three years.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

However, despite the early headway, Beck believes “specific monetization segmentation and momentum remains broadly opaque.”

From MarketWatch • Jan. 15, 2026

The sight of them did nothing to encourage Vervain’s party, who were reluctant to dig and made little headway during the darkness before moonrise.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.