head start

noun

Synonyms of head startnext
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
took some extra classes to get a head start in college

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.
Between free snow cones, games and community resources, thousands of kids got a head start on the new school year. — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026 These other sports have had decades, if not centuries, of a head start on soccer. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026 The paper’s authors got a head start by searching the genomes for gene sequences of methane-making enzymes — including hydrogenases, the enzymes that catalyze the formation of hydrogen gas. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 27 July 2026 The October 2025 OpenAI partnership put PayPal's wallet inside ChatGPT's Instant Checkout, a real head start in agentic commerce. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 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

Rhymes for head start

See All Rhymes for head start

Browse Nearby Words

headstand
head start
head stay
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Head start.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/head%20start. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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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

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for head start

Nglish: Translation of head start for Spanish Speakers

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