bridgehead

noun

bridge·​head ˈbrij-ˌhed 

1

a

: a fortification protecting the end of a bridge nearest an enemy

b

: an area around the end of a bridge

2

: an advanced position seized in hostile territory

Synonyms

• base
• foothold
• fortress
• camp
• center

Examples of bridgehead in a Sentence

established a bridgehead on the beach before beginning the land invasion

Recent Examples on the Web

China has already built an impressive bridgehead in Europe with its lead in electric vehicle manufacturing, batteries and charging technology. —Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025

Archaeologists identified the Roman bridgehead fort as a first-of-its-kind find for Austria. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025

Troops from Pyongyang had attempted to cut off a Ukrainian bridgehead along the border, said Butusov on his Telegram channel. —Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025

Meloni has been positioning herself as the European leader who can be the crucial bridgehead between Europe and the U.S. administration. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for bridgehead

• abovesaid
• aforesaid
• arrowhead
• casinghead
• copperhead
• figurehead
• fountainhead
• gingerbread
• hammerhead
• infrared
• leatherhead
• letterhead

Kids Definition

bridgehead

noun

bridge·​head ˈbrij-ˌhed 

: a position seized in enemy territory as a place to begin a further advance