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

When the industry picked up in the 1960s, with rare earths being used as catalysts for refining petroleum and in TV sets, the US had a fortuitous head start. —Mark Dent, HubSpot, 9 May 2025

Follow The Science Partnerships are more than just an investment strategy—they’re also a way to get a head start on learning about and having access to innovative technologies being developed. —Evan Renov, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025

No, the Knicks don’t want to give anyone a head start. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 May 2025

In other words, your blender gives your digestive system a head start. —Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for head start

• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• sweetheart
• upstart

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