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

The Reynoldses bought in their early 30s, beating today's average 40-year-old first-time homebuyer, and that gives them a head start. —Jo Ling Kent, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026

How to Plant Dahlias by Seed Growing dahlias from seed is a good way to get a head start on the growing season. —Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026

Columbine is an early-season bloomer with nectar-rich spurs, giving your garden a head start in spring. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026

It’s aimed at giving cyber defenders a head start on securing some of the world’s most critical software systems from the looming security risks posed by advanced AI models and includes partners such as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Cisco. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 10 Apr. 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