head 1 of 3

noun

ˈhed How to pronounce head (audio)
Definition of headnext
1
as in skull
the upper or front part of the body that contains the brain, the major sense organs, and the mouth I hit my head as I went through the low doorway

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2
as in helm
the place of leadership or command every year a different parent is placed at the head of the troop's cookie drive

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3
as in foam
a light mass of fine bubbles formed in or on a liquid the head on the ice cream soda rose a good two inches above the rim of the glass

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4
as in person
a member of the human race the tour guide counted heads, and everyone was present

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5
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action when the disagreement between the two departments came to a head, the CEO called both managers in for a closed-door meeting

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6
as in headwater
the beginning part of a stream Lake Itasca in Minnesota is the head of the Mississippi River

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7
as in top
the highest part or point stood at the head of the stairs and looked down

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8
as in mind
the normal or healthy condition of the mental abilities you're out of your head if you think you can swim across that river

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9
as in brain
the part of a person that feels, thinks, perceives, wills, and especially reasons challenged us to put our heads together and find a solution to the skyrocketing costs of the company's health insurance plans

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10
as in boss
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do as head of the planning committee, he had the responsibility of appointing someone to look into the parking situation

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11
as in dam
a bank of earth constructed to control water built a head to create a millpond

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12
as in bathroom
a room furnished with a fixture for flushing body waste give me a chance to visit the head, and I'll be all set to go

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13
as in user
a person who regularly uses drugs especially illegally a shop near campus where all the heads used to get their paraphernalia

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14
as in lover
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something she's a total tech head who adores home electronics and computers

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15
as in heading
a word or series of words often in larger letters placed at the beginning of a passage or at the top of a page in order to introduce or categorize rechecked to make sure that all the heads were in boldface

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16
as in talent
a special and usually inborn ability I have no head for numbers

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head

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to turn
to go on a specified course or in a certain direction she'll be heading out east in the fall to attend college

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2
as in to lead
to be at the front of heading the procession at the dog show was a miniature poodle, followed by dogs seemingly of every breed

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3
as in to handle
to be in charge of who headed the CIA when Ronald Reagan was president?

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4
as in to go
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the road to riches headed north, thought many, as off they went to Alaska to try their luck at panning gold

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5
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal after a long day at the beach, we headed the car toward home

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6
as in to command
to serve as leader of Robert La Salle headed the expedition that claimed Louisiana for the French king

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7
as in to decapitate
to cut off the head of got a job at the slaughterhouse heading cattle

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head

3 of 3

adjective

as in chief
highest in rank or authority as head editor at the TV station for 17 years, he has seen many news anchors come and go

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of head
Noun
Sam Houston is in a new era led by head coach Bobby Watkins, who was hired in December. — Charles Baggarly august 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026 Pleasantville The 1998 movie Pleasantville took ‘50s sitcom tropes and flipped them on their heads. — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
At the end of the evening, head to the dedicated Martini Bar for one of its over 100 iterations. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026 Where the conversation heads into overtime is discussing the actual work that goes into styling sports gods — whether from the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL or MLS. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
Adjective
But his path to becoming the head coach of the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Iowa last month was also sparked by his relationship with Iowa general manager Matt Hendricks, an old summer skating partner during their playing days. — Joe Smith, New York Times, 23 July 2026 Blumenfeld is the President of the production company collective Lisa and is the director and co-head writer on Spilling Your Seed, produced by Lisa and Stapleview, starring Troast. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for head
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head
  1. skull
  2. helm
  3. foam
  4. person
  5. crisis
  6. headwater
  7. top
  8. mind
Noun
  • Baumeister's son discovered a human skull in the woods at Fox Hollow Farm in 1994, but, according to reports, investigators did not search the property until June 1996.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Five days after Watkins’ skull was crushed in a parking lot, the 50-year-old woman died at a hospital.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of skull
Noun
  • Parent company Gap announced yesterday that customer chief Michael Francis will take over in November for Haio Barbeito, who has been at Old Navy's helm since 2022.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • He is next scheduled to helm Treasure Island from a script by Adolescence co-creator Jack Thorne, with Hugh Jackman starring in the feature based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s work.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of helm
Noun
  • The convertible sofa bed boasts high-density foam cushions and a hardwood frame to help maintain durability and longevity.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 1 Sep. 2026
  • BlueFirst will feature a range of perks, from plush seats made with Tuft & Needle’s T&N Flex foam to seatback screens measuring over 13 inches that are part entertainment system, part interactive menu.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of foam
Noun
  • Its movements and squeaks change in response to the person interacting with it, giving caregivers another way to reduce distress and encourage engagement.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Dramatic video showed the rescue of one such person as authorities from Nepal worked to drag the man out of the mud deluge.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of person
Noun
  • The climate crisis is making certain types of extreme weather events both more frequent and more severe.
    — Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • State health authorities who have been fighting the opioid crisis for decades are still surprised by the drop, said Evan Gumas, a senior research associate at the Commonwealth Fund.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of crisis
Noun
  • Clear Creek County Commissioner George Marlin makes a compelling case that alone, his small county of about 9,000 residents could never fund the mitigation needed to protect the headwaters of Clear Creek.
    — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The agreement was made at a time when the region had a smaller population and benefited from wetter years, with much more snow to feed the river’s headwaters in the Rocky Mountains.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of headwater
Noun
  • While dark-wash jeans, trench coats, and sweaters may be top of mind, don’t forget your footwear.
    — Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Here’s a snapshot of those findings (not in chronological order, because AI’s top of mind these days; plus, my colleague made a cool interactive graphic for you).
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of top
Noun
  • Specs AccordionItemContainerButton Minimalist and cozy are two words that come to mind when describing the Zixuan daybed, which has a clean silhouette but doesn’t feel sterile thanks to its plump pillows.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Another novel where the author explores how to cultivate the mind, body, home, and social circle in order to propagate creativity, and wonders what happens when any or all elements become fallow or diseased.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of mind

Phrases Containing head

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hazy
head
headache
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Cite this Entry

“Head.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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