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

That allows those students to not only finish at ACC, but also to get a head start on educational pursuits beyond the campus, the chancellor said. —Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 23 Jan. 2026

That could be important for understanding how to interpret the information and for getting a head start on potentially dangerous outbreaks of new infectious diseases. —Alice Park, Time, 22 Jan. 2026

To get a head start on the growing season, start the seeds indoors for a flower that will continue to bloom until the first frost. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Jan. 2026

Starting seeds indoors offers a cost-effective way to grow a variety of vegetables and ornamental plants and get a head start on the gardening season. —Kerry Michaels, The Spruce, 21 Jan. 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