as in wind
an air movement that is blowing toward something (such as a ship or an airplane) as it moves forward
Stiff headwinds caused the flight to take longer than expected.
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Recent Examples of headwind
In short, trading signals by senior corporate executives were a useful predictor of future stock performance when the company faced headwinds and had to trim staff.
—
D. Brian Blank,
The Conversation,
29 June 2026
In an economy that’s driven by consumption, that could pose a headwind to bringing inflation all the way to the Fed’s 2% target.
—
Catarina Saraiva,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
Republicans, who currently hold a three-seat majority in the House, will have to overcome historical headwinds to maintain their majority, a fact Johnson acknowledged to the crowd during his remarks.
—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
26 June 2026
Still, the more positive findings for 2026 show that, despite geopolitical headwinds in the last six months, the industry is on a slow path to recovery, after a period of macroeconomic challenges.
—
Joe Bobowicz,
Vogue,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwind
D. Brian Blank,
The Conversation,
29 June 2026
In an economy that’s driven by consumption, that could pose a headwind to bringing inflation all the way to the Fed’s 2% target.
—
Catarina Saraiva,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
Republicans, who currently hold a three-seat majority in the House, will have to overcome historical headwinds to maintain their majority, a fact Johnson acknowledged to the crowd during his remarks.
—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
26 June 2026
Still, the more positive findings for 2026 show that, despite geopolitical headwinds in the last six months, the industry is on a slow path to recovery, after a period of macroeconomic challenges.
—
Joe Bobowicz,
Vogue,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwind
wind
Noun
-
The most violent wind report came from Northbrook, where half of a roof on a 20-car garage was lifted and then dropped, damaging at least seven cars in a parking shelter for a condominium.
-
More than 75 million were in the threat zone for severe storms in the coming hours, stretching across parts of the Plains into the Northeast, with the primary hazard being damaging wind gusts.
Cite this Entry
“Headwind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwind. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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