spearhead

1 of 2

noun

spear·​head ˈspir-ˌhed 

1

: the sharp-pointed head of a spear

2

: a leading element, force, or influence in an undertaking or development

spearhead

2 of 2

verb

spearheaded; spearheading; spearheads

transitive verb

: to serve as leader or leading element of

Synonyms of spearhead

Verb

• lead
• command

Examples of spearhead in a Sentence

Noun

Her book was the spearhead of the clean water movement.

Verb

She spearheaded the campaign for better schools.

The movement was spearheaded by the teachers' union.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Over the years, excavators have found around 280 artifacts in the lake, including 145 axes, 64 spearheads, eight swords and, most recently, four spears. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 17 Dec. 2025

So all these ideas coalesced, but the spearhead was the idea of faith. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Dec. 2025

Verb

McElearney later went on to oversee investigations into the Colombo crime family, helping dismantle another major mafia organization and spearheading what the FBI has described as the largest mafia takedown in its history. —Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026

The reunion — which was spearheaded by Williams, 45 — featured a live reading of Dawson's Creek's 1998 pilot episode to raise awareness for F Cancer and show support for series star James Van Der Beek, 48, amid his battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer. —Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for spearhead

• abed
• ahead
• beachhead
• bedspread
• bedstead
• behead
• blackhead
• blockhead
• bloodshed
• bowhead
• breastfed
• bridgehead

Kids Definition

spearhead

1 of 2 noun

spear·​head -ˌhed 

1

: the head or point of a spear

2

: a person, thing, or group that is the leading force (as in a development or attack)

spearhead

2 of 2 verb

: to serve as leader of

spearhead a campaign for better schools