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

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

Casting in these rom-coms is crucial, and fortunately Kidman and Efron had a head start as they were cinematically involved in the very different pic, Lee Daniels’ 2012 drama The Paperboy. —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 27 June 2024

While most gardeners wait until the last spring frost has passed to plant their veggies outdoors, plant your seeds earlier to give your salad garden a head start. —Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2024

For example, finance managers can expect a starting salary of around £45,000 ($57,000) and although studying economics or business may give Gen Zers a head start in the industry, the field is generally open to all graduates. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Europe, 29 May 2024

Apple already has a head start on the PC ecosystem in this respect—all of the M-series chips and A-series chips going all the way back to 2017's A11 Bionic have included a version of the Neural Engine. —Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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