jump the gun
phrase
1
: to start in a race before the starting signal
2
: to act, move, or begin something before the proper time
Examples of jump the gun in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The gaffe led to widespread speculation that Alito was preparing to retire, and that NPR's Nina Totenberg, who has covered the Supreme Court since the 1970s, jumped the gun by publishing too soon a story she had been tipped off about.
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Dan Mangan,luke Fountain,kevin Breuninger,garrett Downs,ashley Capoot,justin Papp,
CNBC,
2 July 2026
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Dan Mangan,luke Fountain,kevin Breuninger,garrett Downs,ashley Capoot,justin Papp,
CNBC,
2 July 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jump the gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump%20the%20gun. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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