heads up

interjection

Used as an informal warning, caution, or call for attention; pay attention!

“Heads up! The boss is coming.”

Similar
look out!look sharp!watch it!watch out!avast [⇒ thesaurus]!beware!blackfriars!cave!
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Meanings

interjection
  1. idiomaticUsed as an informal warning, caution, or call for attention; pay attention!

    Heads up! The boss is coming.

    2 more examples

    Heads up! I'm about to let go.

    Heads up, Marines! We got trouble.

    2007 September 25, Bungie, Halo 3, spoken by Avery Johnson (David Scully), Microsoft Game Studios, Xbox 360, level/area: The Ark

    Synonyms: look out!, look sharp!, watch it!, watch out!, avast [⇒ thesaurus]!, beware!, blackfriars!, cave!

nounheads up (plural heads ups)

plural heads ups

  1. alternativeAlternative spelling of heads-up.
verb
  1. indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of head up
adjectiveheads up (not comparable)
  1. not comparablecard gamesContaining only two players.

Synonyms & antonyms

interjectionUsed as an informal warning, caution, or call for attention; pay attention!

Similar
look out!look sharp!watch it!watch out!avast [⇒ thesaurus]!beware!blackfriars!cave!cheese it!heads up!hey up!hist!look alive!look lively!mind out!namous!take care!ware!
Also see
cavecheese itfire in the holeheadsheads down, thumbs upnamousthumbs up, seven up

Translations

Finnish huomio!, varoitus!
  • huomio!warning
  • varoitus!warning
French attention
  • attentionwarning
German Achtung
  • Achtungwarning
Norwegian Bokmål opp med haken
  • opp med hakenwarning
Polish uwaga, ostrożnie
  • uwagawarning
  • ostrożniewarning
Portuguese Atenção!
  • Atenção!warning
Russian осторожно
  • осторожно (ostorožno)warning
Spanish tate, epa
  • tatewarning
  • epawarning
  • épalewarning
  • towarning
  • alertawarning
  • avisónwarning
  • cuidadowarning
Cite this entry
APA

heads up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heads%20up

MLA

“heads up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heads%20up. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heads up,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heads%20up.

Source: heads up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.