# headlong

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈhɛd.lɒŋ/ · frequency rank #40,731

## Definitions
1. With the head first or down.
2. With an unrestrained forward motion.
3. Rashly; precipitately; without deliberation; in haste, hastily.

## Etymology
From Middle English hedlong, alteration of hedling, heedling, hevedlynge (“headlong”), assimilated to long. More at headling.

## Easily confused with
- **healing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/headlong-vs-healing)
- **heading** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/heading-vs-headlong)
- **headline** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/headline-vs-headlong)
- **headland** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/headland-vs-headlong)

## Common misspellings (12)
`ehadlong`, `haedlong`, `headdlong`, `headllong`, `headlnog`, `headlogn`, `headlongg`, `headlonng`, `headolng`, `healdong`, `hedalong`, `hheadlong`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/headlong