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

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

But the biggest wild card that’s helping these corporate enabling functions become the spearheads of enterprise-wide AI adoption is workflow integration. —Laura Clayton McDonnell, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025

The spearhead of the British Invasion. —Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025

Verb

The Fort Worth Zoo launched an Asian elephant breeding program in 1986 and spearheaded a conservation organization known as the International Elephant Foundation in 1998. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025

That network was spearheaded by Ilan Shor, an oligarch living in exile after he was convicted in absentia for his role in stealing $1 billion from Moldovan banks in 2014. —Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025

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