HEADWINDS Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

headwinds

noun

plural of headwind

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 Such headwinds are unfamiliar for Reform, which had previously been in the ascendancy, leading national opinion polls and enjoying historic gains in local elections. — Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026 Certification bodies and government stakeholders – constituencies that typically favor precision – are trending in the opposite direction, choosing flexibility over rigidity in the face of political headwinds. — Mike Feibus, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026 For all the headwinds confronting Jolly, Republicans may encounter their own turbulence. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Earlier this month, India’s central bank kept benchmark interest rates unchanged in contrast to many of its Asian peers, who hiked rates to tackle inflationary headwinds caused by the disruption of global energy supply chains amid the Iran war. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026 However, due to headwinds, that was reduced to 74 minutes, which was and still continues to be an astonishing achievement. — Dhananjay Khadilkar, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026 Electric vehicles have faced major headwinds over the past year. — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 Even with their fortunes brightening in Michigan, Republicans are clear-eyed about the headwinds this year. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Its financial picture has improved somewhat since that nadir, but Catalina Island Health remains one of several hospitals across Los Angeles County that are struggling to stay open in the face of strong financial headwinds. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwinds

winds

Noun

For travelers who want to climb higher, another route begins at Gortsia and winds through forest before emerging onto the Plateau of the Muses.

— Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Lightning, gusty winds and heavy downpours are the primary concerns.

— Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of winds

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headwind

headwinds

heady

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“Headwinds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwinds. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of headwinds

noun

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