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

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

As Deadline reported last week, Hopkins had a head start and began meeting with executives over the past couple of months. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025

Two formidable artists, trumpeter Keyon Harrold and drummer Nate Smith, are getting a head start by kicking off their Coltrane tribute tour this fall. —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2025

Withers had something of a head start in playing a quarterback onscreen. —Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025

The manhunt has been especially difficult because Decker is an Army veteran skilled in wilderness survival and had a three-day head start. —Holly Yan, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025

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