headroom

American  

[hed-room, -room] / ˈhɛdˌrum, -ˌrʊm /

Or head room

noun

1. Nautical. the clear space between two decks.

2. Also called headway. 

   1. clear vertical space, as between the head and sill of a doorway, the ceiling and floor of a room, or the ceiling of a vehicular passageway and a vehicle roof, as to allow passage or comfortable occupancy.

      over 7.5 feet of headroom in the attic;

      a covered bridge with limited headroom.

   2. clear vertical space above one’s head, as in a vehicle or room.

      plenty of headroom for passengers.

3. Audio. dynamic headroom.

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headroom British  

/ -ˌruːm, ˈhɛdˌrʊm /

noun

1. the height of a bridge, room, etc; clearance

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Etymology

Origin of headroom

First recorded in 1850–55; head + room

Example Sentences

Verizon’s dividend yield of 5.54% is the highest on the list, with a FCF yield estimate implying headroom of 4.31%.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 7, 2026

Reeves said her "headroom" had increased from £21.7bn to £23.6bn.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Markets expect Reeves to announce an improved fiscal position, including solid fiscal headroom.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

In the Autumn Budget, the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast that the amount of headroom the government has against its borrowing rules will be £22bn in five years' time.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

Each man had about six inches of headroom, not even enough to sit up.

From "Copper Sun" by Sharon M. Draper

Related Words

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