headwind

From Middle English *hedwind, from Old English hēafodwind, equivalent to head +‎ wind. Cognate with Old Norse höfuðvindr.

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/

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headwind (plural headwinds)

1. (nautical, physics) A wind that blows directly against the course of a vehicle, like an aircraft, train, or ship.
2. (transferred sense) A strong force that impedes or reverses progress.
   • 2022 June 16, Swati Bhat, “India's economic prospects firm despite global headwinds, says RBI”, in Gareth Jones, editor, Reuters‎^[1], archived from the original on 16 June 2022, Macro Matters:

     "Domestic economic activity has been gaining traction in spite of formidable headwinds from external developments," the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in its monthly bulletin.

   • 2022 June 17, Michelle Goldberg, “The Future Isn’t Female Anymore”, in The New York Times‎^[2]:

     At the same time, Faludi, who is working on a new book about the headwinds feminism is facing, suggested that the movement itself has grown sectarian and insular.

   • 2024 February 29, Edward Helmore, “Oprah Winfrey announces she is stepping down from WeightWatchers”, in The Guardian‎^[3], →ISSN:

     “The increasing appetite for obesity drugs will have myriad implications, boosting sectors such as biotech and creating headwinds for industries such as food and beverage,” the bank’s report said.

headwind (third-person singular simple present headwinds, present participle headwinding, simple past and past participle headwinded)

1. (transitive, uncommon) To blow directly against the course of a vehicle, like an aircraft, train, or ship.
2. (idiomatic, uncommon) To impede or reverse progress.

• tailwind