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

But the uncertainty of not knowing how an app is going to look feels inconsistent and can be jarring – which is an area where Android has had a head start. — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026

Dahmen recommends waiting about a week after the frost before beginning to plant spring bulbs and getting a head start on next year's garden. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

To get a head start, trim and halve the sprouts up to a day ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. — Rick Martinez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026

That is a new discipline, and the businesses building it now will have a significant head start. — Derya Matras, Fortune, 8 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