as in winds
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 headwinds
Thanks to ongoing economic headwinds affecting memory and storage, analysts are predicting retail prices could rise by up to $200.
—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
Although regulatory barriers and equipment bottlenecks were also identified as headwinds, neither of them was bad enough to cancel ongoing or proposed projects.
—
Roy Stephen Canivel,
Footwear News,
2 July 2026
Volkswagen's challenges are illustrative of the headwinds facing the broader European automotive industry, Luman said, citing challenges on the road to full electrification, competition with Chinese car brands and export problems in major markets.
—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
2 July 2026
The United States is also facing gale-force productivity headwinds, such as the aging of the population and the relentlessly rising cost of health care, education, and housing.
—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
29 June 2026
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
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
After years without sustained growth in Britain, economic headwinds linked to global conflicts and the fallout from Brexit, as well as his own electoral pledge of fiscal discipline, have left a leader who promised change with little room for major reforms or investment in ailing public services.
—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
If investors are surprised by seeing their portfolios continue to tick up in the face of such headwinds, so is JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.
—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
Although regulatory barriers and equipment bottlenecks were also identified as headwinds, neither of them was bad enough to cancel ongoing or proposed projects.
—
Roy Stephen Canivel,
Footwear News,
2 July 2026
Volkswagen's challenges are illustrative of the headwinds facing the broader European automotive industry, Luman said, citing challenges on the road to full electrification, competition with Chinese car brands and export problems in major markets.
—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
2 July 2026
The United States is also facing gale-force productivity headwinds, such as the aging of the population and the relentlessly rising cost of health care, education, and housing.
—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
29 June 2026
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
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
After years without sustained growth in Britain, economic headwinds linked to global conflicts and the fallout from Brexit, as well as his own electoral pledge of fiscal discipline, have left a leader who promised change with little room for major reforms or investment in ailing public services.
—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
If investors are surprised by seeing their portfolios continue to tick up in the face of such headwinds, so is JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.
—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwinds
winds
Noun
-
While rain coverage is expected to remain limited, any storms that develop could produce gusty winds, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall.
-
Local Idaho agencies have spent days addressing storm damage caused by a low-pressure system from the Gulf of Alaska that brought winds over 50 mph, lightning, hail and more than an inch of rain to some areas.
Cite this Entry
“Headwinds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwinds. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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