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

Example Sentences

Still, gold faces a tricky setup, as renewed inflation concerns could quickly become a headwind, if recent history is any guide.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

That accounts for a 60-basis-point headwind due to the Iran conflict.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

It will be a particularly big headwind for asset-light players, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

Part of the headwind was the significant number of patients that needed to go through an insurance benefit reauthorization process at the start of the year, which pushed approvals into late March.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

Race day, April 13, was again rainy, and a stiff headwind blew out of the south, up the length of the Oakland Estuary.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown