headway

noun

head·​way ˈhed-ˌwā How to pronounce headway (audio)
1
a
: motion or rate of motion in a forward direction
2
: headroom (as under an arch) sufficient to allow passage
3
: the time interval between two vehicles traveling in the same direction on the same route

Examples of headway in a Sentence

the ant was making little headway carrying a crumb that was about five times his size
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After a successful strike against Detroit's Big Three automakers in 2023, the UAW has been making some headway organizing workers at EV battery facilities. John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025 With two goals in the third period and a standout defensive effort to limit one of the state’s most potent lines, the No. 5 Rockets (6-1) made major headway then by taking down No. 13 Belmont, 3-1, Thursday night at John A. Ryan Arena. Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 10 Jan. 2025 Firefighters have been racing to contain the blazes, and their efforts made significant headway as winds eased over the weekend. Soumya Karlamangla, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025 Everett is hoping to propose to his girlfriend, but this year's Christmas festivities are particularly dysfunctional as Meredith fails to make any headway and invites her sister Julie (Claire Danes) to help her — only to find that the family responds much more favorably to Julie. Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for headway 

Word History

First Known Use

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of headway was in 1730

Dictionary Entries Near headway

Cite this Entry

“Headway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headway. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

headway

noun
head·​way -ˌwā How to pronounce headway (audio)
1
: motion forward
2

More from Merriam-Webster on headway

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