jump-started; jump-starting; jump-starts

transitive verb

1
: to start (an engine or vehicle) by temporary connection to an external power source (such as another vehicle's battery)
2
a
: to start or restart (something) rapidly or forcefully
advertising can jump-start a political campaign
b
: to impart fresh or renewed energy to (something) : energize
a plan to jump-start the stagnant economy
jump start noun

Examples of jump-start in a Sentence

an intentionally provocative comment that was supposed to jump-start the discussion
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Florida football had just been outclassed by a program — Miami — that hired a coach in the same 2022 cycle UF did, and similarly struggled to jump-start its rebuild, having likewise floundered in recent years, despite its historic pedigree. Noah White, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025 Do-it yourselfers can discover details like to what air pressure should the tires be inflated, the length of replacement windshield wipers, which grade of fuel to use, how to check the engine oil and what type to use, how to properly jump-start a vehicle and much more. Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 It’s meant to jump-start rural health, and then let states do the rest. Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 15 Sep. 2025 Duff was only a teenager when the iconic track landed on her sophomore album Metamorphosis, which effectively jump-started a music career that spanned four studio albums. Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jump-start

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jump-start was in 1973

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Cite this Entry

“Jump-start.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump-start. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

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