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.
Loomer said she didn’t give anyone a heads up that she would be traveling to Eastern Europe, not even the White House.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Inflation watchers in the private sector said the BEA move was justified, but they faulted the agency for not giving the public a heads up, even for such a nerdy statistical thing.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Ultimately, they were beaten by the defending champions, but the way they took the game to them was incredible, and the players can hold their heads up high in defeat.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Clark, who heads up the California Hospice and Palliative Care Assn., has been struggling to get clarity on the issue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026
He paints during the day; at night he draws a series of thirty heads, up close.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
You know her temperament better than I do, and if she is a reasonable and levelheaded person, it would do no harm to give her a heads-up.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
A heads-up, though: Analysts have also steadily slashed their forecasts as the company’s financial situation has deteriorated.
From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026
It feels a little bit like Skynet giving us a heads-up before incinerating the atmosphere, but I’ll take it.
From Slate ● Feb. 8, 2026
He posted fliers along the block and talked to neighbors to give them a heads-up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025
Aunt J looks at Arlo and me, as if to ask why we didn’t give her a heads-up.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Unambiguous heads-ups from forecasters from the NWS to state and local transportation officials in Northern Virginia began on the morning of Jan. 2, nearly 24 hours before the storm hit.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 14, 2022
He was exceptionally close with Engel, who gave Zuberi early heads-ups on legislation he intended to file and shared other details that could be useful to Zuberi, the emails show.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 30, 2020
I’ve given subtle heads-ups to my male co-workers for things like unzipped zippers but don’t want to be seen as policing a woman’s appearance.
From Slate ● May 17, 2018
It was the first time Scioscia had a position player throw in the bullpen, though he added, “We’ve given heads-ups to guys before.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2015
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.
