headwind

American  

[hed-wind] / ˈhɛdˌwɪnd /

noun

1. a wind opposed to the course of a moving object, especially an aircraft or other vehicle (opposed to tailwind).

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headwind British  

/ ˈhɛdˌwɪnd /

noun

1. a wind blowing directly against the course of an aircraft or ship Compare tailwind

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headwind Scientific  

/ hĕd′wĭnd′ /

1. A wind blowing directly against the course of a moving object, especially an aircraft or ship.

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Etymology

Origin of headwind

First recorded in 1780–90; (a)head + wind ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

headwind

In Collins's hometown of Caribou, brewery owner and Collins supporter Shawn Pelletier said the senator does face "a lot of headwind."

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

“In 2027, we expect the headwind from affordability to increasingly dominate, weighing further on activity,” Ronnie Walker, an economist at Goldman Sachs, told clients in a note that published Monday.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

While higher fuel expenses will weigh on 3Q profitability, Doerksen says “the bigger headwind concern is for 4Q as the current spot price of jet fuel is C$1.89/liter.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

This headwind could be starting to moderate as expectations of an October Fed rate hike ease, she says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The next moment, without warning, the headwind dropped dramatically, and they were traveling much too fast to make the runway.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

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