Meaning & use
heady
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
Thrilling in a way that sweeps you along and can make you feel slightly dizzy or reckless.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: a heady mix of excitement and fear.
Patterns
- a heady mixture of something
- heady days
The heady days after the election were full of celebration.
It was a heady mix of music, lights and noise.
She was swept up in the heady excitement of her first book launch.
adjectivecomparable
Having a strong, rich smell or taste that seems almost to go to your head.
Grammar: Used before a noun to describe scents and drinks: a heady perfume.
Patterns
- a heady scent
- a heady perfume
The heady scent of jasmine filled the garden.
He poured a glass of heady red wine.
The kitchen smelled of heady spices.
adjectivecomparableold-fashioned
Acting without much thought because of strong feelings, rushing forward in a hasty way.
Grammar: Dated usage; usually describes a person or behavior.
Patterns
- a heady young man
The heady young recruit rushed in without a plan.
His heady decision cost him dearly.
Heady with success, they spent far too much.
Word forms
| comparative | headier |
|---|---|
| superlative | headiest |
Common combinations
- heady mixture
- The festival offered a heady mixture of food and music.
- heady days
- They remembered the heady days of their early success.
- heady perfume
- A heady perfume hung in the air.
- heady atmosphere
- The heady atmosphere of the final lifted the whole crowd.
- heady heights
- The band reached the heady heights of the top ten.
Synonyms and how they differ
- intoxicating
- Intoxicating is more direct and can mean literally causing drunkenness, while heady is milder and mostly figurative.
- exhilarating
- Exhilarating focuses on happy excitement, but heady also hints at being overwhelmed.
- potent
- Potent stresses strength and works for drinks and ideas, without the dizzy, romantic feel of heady.
- thrilling
- Thrilling is a plain, everyday word for exciting and does not suggest losing your balance.
Opposites
Word family
- head noun
- the root word, the part of the body
- headily adverb
- in a heady way
- headiness noun
- the quality of being heady
Commonly confused: heady or headstrong?
heady vs headstrong
Headstrong describes someone stubborn and determined to have their own way, whereas heady describes things or moments that are intoxicating.
Practice
Which phrase best uses heady?
Choose one answer.
Heady describes strong, almost overwhelming smells or experiences. A scent of roses fits, while the others do not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “heady”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.