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

took some extra classes to get a head start in college

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

Some insects, too, make their own form of milk—protein-laden fluids that drip from tiny spigots on their bodies, providing their wriggling babies with a head start. — Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026

Each year, brands seem to kick off Black Friday earlier and earlier—and for my fellow planners, that’s a huge blessing because getting a head start on holiday shopping means less stress when the big day arrives. — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 26 Oct. 2026

Then, a botched disclosure process gave hackers a head start on taking advantage of it before the world had a chance to react. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Kohl’s is getting a head start on the holiday shopping frenzy with a secret fall sale on travel essentials, featuring deals on luggage, stylish clothing, comfortable shoes, and more up to 85 percent off. — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2026

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