headlong
Americanadverb
adverb
-
with the head foremost; headfirst
-
with great haste
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of headlong
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English hedlong, earlier hedling; see head, -ling 2
Explanation
Headlong describes something done headfirst, rashly, or really quickly. If you’re the star batter on your baseball team, it’s expected that you'll make a headlong dive for the base. Headlong can refer to hasty actions, but it can also be used more figuratively to describe decisions that are reckless or made in a hurry. Your sister may tend to weigh all the options, but you make headlong decisions. When you decided headlong to move to Florida for a chance to play professionally, your sister thought you’d gone off your rocker — but the day you sign a major contract, she’ll be singing a different tune.
Vocabulary lists containing headlong
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List 5
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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.
At the same time, influencers became the dominant force in marketing, more so than brands, and the appeal of ethical consumerism ran headlong into an economy battered by the pandemic and inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
But the race to deploy AI agents is running headlong into a scramble for the chips and energy needed to power them.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
Re-entry will rush headlong into the need for energy to power the AI data centers being built in the state.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
Their love scene in the rain, while obviously less visually spectacular than in the film, plunges headlong into romantic cliches that manage to get the job done despite their obviousness.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026
Billy lowered his head and ran, headlong, at the unicorn, as if he were about to butt it with his forehead.
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
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.
