go-ahead

1 of 2

adjective

1
: marked by energy and enterprise : progressive
a vigorous go-ahead company
2
: indicating that one may proceed
go-ahead signal
3
: being a score that gives a team the lead in a game
drove in the go-ahead run

go-ahead

2 of 2

noun

1
a
b
: one possessing go-ahead
2
: a sign, signal, or authority to proceed : green light

Examples of go-ahead in a Sentence

Noun a born go-ahead, he was determined to be the first in his family to graduate from college
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.
Adjective
From there, Goff caught the ball on his second try and ran into the end zone for what looked like a go-ahead touchdown and an impressive trick play. Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 George Frost and Teddy Fisher combined for a game-saving tackle during a go-ahead two-point try to preserve a wild 28-27 victory in the closing seconds. Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
Blue Jays utility player Ernie Clement atoned for an early base running mistake with a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning to get the scoring started. Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025 After Weaver’s go-ahead touchdown run, time became a factor for the Jaguars, who are mostly a running team. Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for go-ahead

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of go-ahead was in 1829

Cite this Entry

“Go-ahead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go-ahead. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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