(of two objects) meeting with the fronts or heads foremost.
a head-on collision.
facing the direction of forward motion or alignment; frontal.
characterized by direct opposition.
a head-on confrontation.
with the front or fronts foremost
a head-on collision
with directness or without compromise
in his usual head-on fashion
With the face or front first, as in The two bicycles collided head on . [Early 1800s]
In direct conflict, in open opposition, as in They decided to meet the opposition head on .
An Americanism dating back to 1830–40
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
McElwee refuses to scrub the truth from his personal histories, choosing instead to confront his own regrets head-on.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
Mr. de la Espriella’s pledge to restore peace by confronting criminality head-on was a big vote-getter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
The Paris public prosecutor's office announced the death of a young man in his twenties after he crashed head-on into concrete blocks on a Paris ring road exit ramp on his motocross bike.
From Barron's ● May 31, 2026
Indeed, Slavin said one of the risks of rushing head-on into a fully fibermaxxed diet is the potential for bloating and other stomach trouble, which could make people give up on longer-term consumption habits.
From MarketWatch ● May 10, 2026
Speaking to reporters outside the church after the rally, an equally combative Ralph Abernathy met head-on the charge of being an outside agitator.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
"If that's happening on the outside, you don't necessarily know about it. On the show, you have to confront it head on."
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
However, they do not strike one another perfectly head on.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
Bald-faced lies can be fact-checked, laughed out of court, disagreed with in polls, or at least disputed head on.
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
Amazon aims to address these issues head on with its FDE initiative.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
I rested my head on her matted fur, thinking.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
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.
