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

Inside the 1-yard line with a golden opportunity to punch it in, a Tyler Guyton false start moved Dallas back five yards before Prescott left a pass short to Lamb that was picked off in the end zone by Eagles safety Reed Blankenship. —Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Nov. 2025

The Bengals couldn’t get out of their own way, committing holding and false start penalties before punting back to the Patriots. —Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 23 Nov. 2025

The second was a false start with 21 seconds remaining in the first half that eroded the Chiefs’ chances of getting points in the final minute. —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Nov. 2025

But Kansas' false start was just one example of lawmakers pushing back against a new round of partisan gerrymanders. —NPR, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for false start

• counterpart
• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• sweetheart