headlong
Americanadverb
adverb
-
with the head foremost; headfirst
-
with great haste
adjective
Other Word 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.
A headlong drive for efficiency cut the average time needed to assemble a “Liberty Ship” freighter from around eight months shortly after Pearl Harbor to barely one month by 1945.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 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
They amassed enough signatures late last year to qualify their proposal for this November’s ballot, launching New England’s most populous state headlong into the debate over whether policing rent helps tenants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026
It’s fun, headlong reading with a shot of melancholy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 20, 2026
He says I’m like a baby who runs headlong into things, not knowing enough to be afraid.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
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.
