To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Definition of heads-up
(Entry 1 of 3)
: alert, resourceful heads-up football
heads-up
nounDefinition of heads-up (Entry 2 of 3)
: a message that alerts or prepares : warning gave him a heads-up that an investigation was pending
heads up
interjectionDefinition of heads up (Entry 3 of 3)
—used as a warning to look out for danger especially overhead or to clear a passageway
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
A More Exception(al) Quiz
- Which of the following words is not a synonym for ‘a young person’?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Share heads-up
Time Traveler for heads-up
The first known use of heads-up was in 1913
See more words from the same year