spear·head | \ ˈspir-ˌhed 
\
\Definition of spearhead
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : the sharp-pointed head of a spear
2 : a leading element, force, or influence in an undertaking or development
spearhead
verbspearheaded; spearheading; spearheads
Definition of spearhead (Entry 2 of 2)
: to serve as leader or leading element of
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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.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Larry Tye writes a long and comprehensive biography of Sen. Joseph McCarthy, the polarizing spearhead of the Red Scare of the 1950s and – Tye contends – the origin of some disturbing features in our 21st-century political landscape.
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Monitor Reviewers, The Christian Science Monitor, "The best nonfiction books of 2020 offer wisdom and insight," 9 Dec. 2020 Aside from a single iron spearhead, no weapons were found, and there was no trace of horses.
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Douglas Preston, The New Yorker, "The Skeletons at the Lake," 7 Dec. 2020 Now his staff is in place for this one, with Pascucci helping spearhead player evaluations.
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Chris Hine, Star Tribune, "From Italian food to draft preparation, Wolves' Gianluca Pascucci is the go-to guy," 16 Nov. 2020 In the end the traditional ethics will be the spearhead of the attack that will bring us victory.
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John Dos Passos, National Review, "Reminiscences of a Middle-Class Radical," 28 Sep. 2020 However, in light of the pandemic, judges have been approving more petitions for compassionate release, and organizations like FAMM are helping spearhead the effort.
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Clare Hymes, CBS News, "Compassionate release, once seldom used, offers some federal inmates hope," 18 Sep. 2020 Exploration Park is the spearhead of Florida’s drive to be a leader in the burgeoning trillion-dollar aerospace industry.
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John Haughey, Washington Examiner, "Pandemic’s tourism impact predictable, but blow to Florida’s aerospace industry unexpected," 31 Mar. 2020 Within days, the Nazi spearhead, supported by artillery barrages and aerial attacks, crossed the Meuse River in France, forcing the Allies to retreat.
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New York Times, "‘Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best,’ by Neal Bascomb: An Excerpt," 17 Mar. 2020 The spearhead of Mac, Miller, and himself was intact.
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Richard Snow, WSJ, "Five Best: Richard Snow on Lesser-Known Novels of World War I," 17 Jan. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Red Sox vice president of player development Ben Crockett helped spearhead the hire, the Globe reported.
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Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, "Boston Red Sox to hire Bianca Smith, first Black female MLB coach," 31 Dec. 2020 Jozsef Szajer, a founding member of the Fidesz party who had helped spearhead the constitutional changes, abruptly resigned from the party last month.
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Adam Taylor, Washington Post, "Hungary approves constitutional change to effectively ban adoption by same-sex couples," 15 Dec. 2020 Reed helped spearhead a coalition of public officials, business leaders, educators, military leaders, pastors, and parents who campaigned for the increase.
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Mike Cason | Mcason@al.com, al, "Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed says school tax vote was city’s ‘most crucial’ in decades," 1 Dec. 2020 More Society is the group working alongside President Donald Trump's campaign to spearhead national and state lawsuits, according to a news release.
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Slone Terranella, Detroit Free Press, "National conservative group plans to file more lawsuits regarding Michigan election," 21 Nov. 2020 Partnerships with indigenous communities, which often spearhead opposition to oil pipelines, is one of several strategies that TC Energy hopes will make the project more palatable to the incoming administration in the U.S., according to Wirzba.
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Robert Tuttle, Bloomberg.com, "Keystone XL Gets Indigenous Investment With Hopes to Woo Biden," 17 Nov. 2020 Lisa Ferreri help spearhead the project with assistance from a group of dedicated volunteers.
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Emmett Hall, sun-sentinel.com, "First Fish for the Cure reels in support for American Cancer Society," 17 Dec. 2020 Fifty years ago, Vetter began volunteering with the Brooklyn Center conservation commission and helped spearhead the bluebird recovery program with the Minneapolis Audubon Society.
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Star Tribune, "Metro briefs: About to turn 95, Brooklyn Center woman enjoys honors," 12 Dec. 2020 If approved, according to McGlone, the museums would collect artifacts, create exhibitions and programs, spearhead educational efforts as well as partner with other Smithsonian facilities.
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Sonia Ramirez, Chron, "A national Latino museum is closer to opening," 10 Dec. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spearhead.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for spearhead
spearhead
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of spearhead
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a person, thing, or group that organizes or leads something (such as a movement or attack)
spearhead
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of spearhead (Entry 2 of 2)
: to be the leader of (something, such as a political movement)
See the full definition for spearhead in the English Language Learners Dictionary
spearhead
nounspear·head | \ ˈspir-ˌhed \
\Kids Definition of spearhead
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : the head or point of a spear
2 : the person, thing, or group that is the leading force (as in a development or an attack)
spearhead
verbspearheaded; spearheading
Kids Definition of spearhead (Entry 2 of 2)
: to serve as leader of
She spearheaded a campaign for change.
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Time Traveler for spearhead
The first known use of spearhead was in the 14th century
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