early heads up

USAGE SUMMARY

"early heads up" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It means to give someone advance warning or an early notification about an upcoming event or issue. For example, You can use the phrase like this: "I wanted to give you an early heads up that there will be an important meeting next Tuesday."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

In fact, it seems that current Echo device owners got an early heads up on the integration by way of the Alexa companion app.

TechCrunch

But on Wednesday night, Jimmy Kimmel gave his viewers the early heads up on a (spoof) recruitment drive for the suggested intergalactic branch of the American military.

HuffPost

A seasonal forecast could give an early heads up of increased odds of a flooding event happening somewhere over a region and at some point during the season.

Columbia University

Tomorrow Goldshlager will detail how he found the exploit, but he gave TechCrunch the early heads up.

TechCrunch

Blaze's bike lights work by projecting an easy to discern, green outline of a basic bicycle icon ahead of the bike itself, giving motorists, pedestrians and others sharing the roads an early heads up that there's someone biking in their vicinity.

TechCrunch

With all the contact with the White House in arranging the Michelle Obama interview, how great would it have been to have an early heads up that the President would soon announce the resignation of his embattled White House chief of staff, Bill Daley.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

That kind of early heads-up could help governments make more timely decisions.

The New Yorker

While packing my property, I got an early heads-up on what I was in for.

The New Yorker

If you decide not to invite a friend or acquaintance, thank them for the early heads-up; when possible, let them know not to expect a subsequent invitation.

The New York Times

For GM, the service offers an early heads-up on problems.

Forbes

It also had an early heads-up on GM, rating the Detroit giant's bonds junk three years before S&P did.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "early heads up" when you want to informally alert someone about something important that is coming up, allowing them time to prepare. It's suitable for professional emails and casual communications.

Common error

Avoid using "early heads up" in highly formal contexts such as legal documents or official announcements where a more formal phrase like "prior notification" or "advance notice" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "early heads up" functions as an idiomatic expression used to provide advance notice or a preliminary warning about something. This is confirmed by Ludwig's examples, which show the phrase used across diverse contexts to alert individuals about impending events or situations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Science

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "early heads up" is a common idiomatic expression used to provide advance notice or a preliminary warning. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts, particularly in news and media. While generally neutral in register, it is best suited for professional and casual communication. For more formal settings, alternatives like "advance notice" or "prior notification" are recommended. Remember to use "early heads up" to help prepare your audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

early notification

Drops the idiomatic expression for a more direct alternative.

advance warning

Focuses on the warning aspect, omitting the time-related element.

advance notice

Similar meaning with a more formal tone.

preliminary warning

Combines the elements of advance timing and a warning.

preliminary notification

Emphasizes the formal act of notifying in advance.

preemptive alert

Highlights the action taken to provide a warning beforehand.

early warning signal

Implies a broader system or indicator providing advance notice.

heads-up in advance

Redundant but emphasizes the 'heads-up' aspect before an event.

prior notification

Highlights the 'before' aspect, but the 'heads-up' element of awareness is missing.

forewarning

A more formal and direct synonym emphasizing potential danger.

FAQs

How to use "early heads up" in a sentence?

You can use "early heads up" to give someone advance notice about something. For example: "I wanted to give you an "early heads up" about the upcoming changes to our project timeline."

What can I say instead of "early heads up"?

You can use alternatives like "advance warning", "early notification", or "preliminary notification" depending on the context.

Is "early heads up" formal or informal?

"Early heads up" is considered informal. In formal settings, alternatives such as "advance notice" or "prior notification" are more appropriate.

When should I use "early heads up"?

Use "early heads up" when you want to informally alert someone about something important allowing them time to prepare. It's suitable for professional emails and casual communications.