go-ahead

1 of 2

adjective

ˈgō-ə-ˌhed 

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

: energy, spirit

b

: one possessing go-ahead

2

: a sign, signal, or authority to proceed : green light

Synonyms of go-ahead

Noun

• powerhouse

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

Adjective

After George's go-ahead 3, Vučević missed a potential tying basket at the buzzer. —CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025

McDaniel then bypassed what would have been a short go-ahead field goal by Riley Patterson and instead ran Gordon up the middle, a play then lost 2 yards after Jevon Kinlaw shed a block from right guard Cole Strange. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Nov. 2025

Noun

The young quarterback has looked overmatched for most of his time on the field, though he's shown occasional flashes of brilliance, including a late-game, go-ahead drive near the end of last week's game. —Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025

With the Chiefs trailing 16-13, Patrick Mahomes found Kelce down the seam for a go-ahead 21-yard touchdown with roughly 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. —Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for go-ahead

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