head start

noun

1
: an advantage granted or achieved at the beginning of a race, a chase, or a competition
a 10-minute head start
2
: a favorable or promising beginning

Examples of head start in a Sentence

They gave me a five-minute head start. She took some extra classes to get a head start in her career. His natural athletic talent gave him a head start on his peers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yes, but the fossil fuel industry has deep pockets and big head start. Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 However, this method can give your pans a head start. Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025 Scientists have theorized that competition for light in denser forests promoted the success of taller trees that had to grow faster than others, and that trees grown from larger seeds got a head start in this race. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025 That's long enough to give your seedlings a head start on the growing season, but short enough to avoid common indoor pests and diseases, and not take up a ton of space. Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for head start

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of head start was in 1859

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Head start.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/head%20start. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

head start

noun
1
: an advantage given to a contestant at the beginning of a race
a five-minute head start
2
: a favorable or promising beginning

More from Merriam-Webster on head start

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!