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

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

That gives the statewide effort a good head start. —Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026

That four-decade head start gave the species plenty of time to dig in. —Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Mar. 2026

During the trials, the webcams were blocked with a pair of plastic shutters until the timer started, to ensure that the machine didn’t get a head start. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026

Another wonderful cold-season brassica, cauliflower can benefit from a head start indoors, which gives it time to be transplanted and reach maturity outdoors before the summer heat becomes too oppressive. —Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026

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