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Synonyms

heads up

1 American  

interjection

  1. (used to call attention to an impending danger or the need for immediate alertness.)

heads-up 2 American  
[hedz-uhp] / ˈhɛdzˌʌp /

adjective

  1. quick to grasp a situation and take advantage of opportunities; alert; resourceful.

noun

  1. a warning in advance.

    sending a heads-up to the Pentagon about possible attacks.
heads up British  

noun

  1. a tip-off or small amount of information given in advance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
heads up Idioms  

  1. A warning to watch out for potential danger, as in Heads up, that tree is coming down now! The expression is generally in the form of an interjection. [c. 1940]

Usage

What does heads-up mean? As an exclamation, Heads up! is used to call attention to danger or another important matter.As a basic noun, a heads-up is an advance notice or warning.

Etymology

Origin of heads up1

First recorded in 1940–45

Origin of heads-up2

First recorded in 1945–50

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.

A favorite tactic was to slip into a flock of sleeping birds in a “sneak” boat and slap its sides just before the shot to get the birds’ heads up.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

It feels a little bit like Skynet giving us a heads up before incinerating the atmosphere, but I’ll take it.

From Slate • Feb. 8, 2026

Tarang Amin, who heads up e.l.f.—known for its affordable cosmetics and skin care—said the company’s value proposition was resonating with consumers across income and age demographics.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

“I thought, ‘OK, I’m just going to give them a little heads up of what the film’s actually about.’

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

I turn just in time to be withered by Jupe’s stare before she rotates on her heel and heads up to the house.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

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.