heady

American  

[hed-ee] / ˈhɛd i /

adjective

headier, headiest

1. intoxicating.

   a heady wine.

2. affecting the mind or senses greatly.

   heady perfume.

3. exciting; exhilarating.

   the heady news of victory.

   Synonyms:

   stirring, thrilling

   Antonyms:

   disappointing, depressing

4. rashly impetuous.

   heady conduct.

5. violent; destructive.

   heady winds.

6. clever; shrewd.

   a heady scheme to win the election.

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heady British  

/ ˈhɛdɪ /

adjective

1. (of alcoholic drink) intoxicating

2. strongly affecting the mind or senses; extremely exciting

3. rash; impetuous

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Other Word Forms

• headily adverb
• headiness noun
• overheadiness noun
• overheady adjective
• unheady adjective

Etymology

Origin of heady

First recorded in 1350–1400, heady is from the Middle English word hevedy, hedy. See head, -y ¹

Example Sentences

If “No Other Choice,” “It Was Just an Accident,” “The Secret Agent” and “Sirāt” are nominated, it would give Neon a clean sweep of the category, a heady accomplishment for the adventurous indie studio.

From Los Angeles Times

Fox Corp. sat out the headiest days of the streaming boom.

From The Wall Street Journal

Investors are concentrating capital in the most trusted VC firms rather than taking chances on new managers as they do when the market is headier, Clarkson said.

From The Wall Street Journal

For Angela, the decades have brought a heady mix of pride and worry.

From BBC

As demand for workers has eased, employers haven’t had to offer the same heady pay raises as in the years immediately following the pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• exciting
• exhilarating
• potent