head-on
Americanadjective
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(of two objects) meeting with the fronts or heads foremost.
a head-on collision.
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facing the direction of forward motion or alignment; frontal.
-
characterized by direct opposition.
a head-on confrontation.
adverb
adverb
-
with the front or fronts foremost
a head-on collision
-
with directness or without compromise
in his usual head-on fashion
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With the face or front first, as in The two bicycles collided head on . [Early 1800s]
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In direct conflict, in open opposition, as in They decided to meet the opposition head on .
Etymology
Origin of head-on
An Americanism dating back to 1830–40
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced ACK to confront the digital age head-on, making its app free for a month, sparking a surge in readers.
From Barron's
He plunged into the water and swam toward the Shadow Dancer, but it spun in the wind and sailed away at a vicious speed, cutting head-on through the waves.
From Literature
The Huelva-Madrid train collided head-on with a train travelling from Madrid on route to Malaga.
From Barron's
"Taken together, these measures mark a decisive turning point for Ubisoft and reflect our determination to confront challenges head-on to reshape the Group for the long term".
From BBC
“Whether these steps succeed remains uncertain, but the intent to tackle energy, housing, and financing head-on is unmistakable,” wrote Seth Meyer, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
