Headway

ˈhedweɪ

nounmedium📊CommonAction
1 meaning3 questions

Definitions

1

Progress or movement in a forward direction; advancement.

ˈhedweɪ

nounpositivemedium
Action

Progress or movement in a forward direction

The project made good headway in the first few months.

💡 Simply: Making headway is like moving forward, getting closer to your goal, or solving a problem. Imagine you're building a Lego castle: if you're making headway, you're adding pieces and the castle is getting bigger and better!

👶 For kids: Moving forward! Like if you are building a tower and make progress, that is headway.

More Examples

2

We're finally making some headway on the budget.

3

The new strategy allowed us to make headway against our competitors.

4

Despite the obstacles, the team made considerable headway.

How It's Used

Business

"The company is finally making headway in the international market."

Politics

"Negotiators hoped to make headway on the peace treaty before the deadline."

General

"Despite the challenges, the team made significant headway on the project."

Synonyms & Antonyms

From 'head' (meaning the front of something) and 'way' (meaning progress or course). Originally referred to the forward motion of a ship, then broadened to mean progress in general.

Historically used in nautical contexts to describe a ship's forward motion, it later broadened to apply to any form of progress.

Memory tip

Think of a boat cutting through the water – the headway is the progress it's making.

Word Origin

LanguageOld English
Original meaning

"Forward movement, progress"

make headwaysignificant headwaysubstantial headwaylittle headwayslow headway

Usage

30%Spoken
70%Written