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

And remember traders only need a millisecond head start to make a fortune. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 23 July 2026

So far, Bryan has not agreed to the request from the insurance groups, saying that their past work would give them a head start. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026

Get a head start by booking one of the best Airbnbs in South Africa, each offering a slice of local life in the varied regions across the country. — Katie Silcox, Vogue, 21 July 2026

Adding Kirby would give the Giants a head start on replacing southpaw Robbie Ray, who is expected to be traded between now and the deadline. — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 20 July 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