false start
noun
1
: a premature start (as of a race or football play)
2
: an unsuccessful attempt to begin something (such as a career)
Examples of false start in a Sentence
If someone makes a false start, the race is immediately stopped and the runners have to start again.
After several false starts, the researchers were finally able to identify the virus causing the epidemic.
Recent Examples on the Web
Spencer Burford had a false start on his first repetition against Huff, then got a handful of Huff’s face mask on the redo.
—
Matt Barrows, New York Times, 29 July 2025
He was whistled for just one holding call and one false start throughout the entire season, which is a career-high for the third-year veteran.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
There was a false start or two, but the big, bad beast of a bus has finally completed its destiny.
—New Atlas, 15 June 2025
By the end, this first edition may even start to look like a roaring success after a false start.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for false start
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Matt Barrows, New York Times, 29 July 2025
He was whistled for just one holding call and one false start throughout the entire season, which is a career-high for the third-year veteran.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
There was a false start or two, but the big, bad beast of a bus has finally completed its destiny.
—New Atlas, 15 June 2025
By the end, this first edition may even start to look like a roaring success after a false start.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for false start
Cite this Entry
“False start.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/false%20start. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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