What does heads-up mean? As an exclamation, Heads up! is used to call attention to danger or another important matter. As a basic noun, a heads-up is an advance notice or warning.
First recorded in 1940–45
First recorded in 1945–50
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Heads up to condominium buyers: The homeowner association questionnaires, studies and reviews can prolong the timeline to closing, he noted.
From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026
Heads up: This is a real create-your-own, mix-and-match, choose-your-own-ending type recipe.
From Salon • Sep. 16, 2023
"I said 'why you have your heads down? Heads up, it was good'," Guardiola said of that moment.
From BBC • Feb. 22, 2023
Heads up, Huskies: Kaden Lee, a 21-year-old junior majoring in aeronautical/astronautical engineering at the University of Washington, competes at 8 p.m.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 11, 2022
On we tramp, alert and ready, Like young soldiers ev'ry one;— Heads up and footfall steady, Left! right! we're marching on!
From Operas Every Child Should Know Descriptions of the Text and Music of Some of the Most Famous Masterpieces by Bacon, Mary Schell Hoke
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.
