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

Plant the seeds around the last frost date in spring to give yourself a head start. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026

The women were given a 15-minute, 45-second head start and in the 16 Chase competitions to date a woman has won the race-within-a-race on 11 occasions. —Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026

And the mice grant themselves a head start early in life. —Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026

Not just a head start; warmer winters and earlier emergence can also lead to more insect generations per year. —Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 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