headrest

American  

[hed-rest] / ˈhɛdˌrɛst /

noun

1. a rest or support of any kind for the head.

2. Also called head restraint.  a padded part at the top of the back of a seat, especially in an automobile, to protect one's head against whiplash in a collision.

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headrest British  

/ ˈhɛdˌrɛst /

noun

1. a support for the head, as on a dentist's chair or car seat

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Etymology

Origin of headrest

First recorded in 1850–55; head + rest ¹

Explanation

A headrest is the padded cushion attached to your car seat just behind your head. The headrest protects your head and neck from being jerked backward during an accident. Your head is supported and protected by a car's headrest — you're less likely to sustain the neck injury known as whiplash with a well-designed headrest. Headrests or head restraints have been required in cars since the late 1960's, when they became a mandatory safety feature in new automobiles. While the driver rarely actually rests her head, her front seat passenger might tip his seat back on a long trip to get full use of his headrest.

Example Sentences

Holding it down causes waterspouts to spin up all around you, dancing on their tails, merging and splitting—the immersiveness comes courtesy of a speaker in the driver’s headrest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

One of the nicest touches has the gamers getting in an actual car and banging against the headrest as they accelerate — something that doesn't happen at a computer monitor.

From Salon • Aug. 24, 2023

“What about the headrest, what about all the cargo I stick in my trunk?”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2023

“It’s just when I had my head in the headrest and there’s that movement, that bothers me.”

From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2023

Jus leans back against the headrest and shuts his eyes.

From "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone

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