beachhead

American  

[beech-hed] / ˈbitʃˌhɛd /

noun

1. the area that is the first objective of a military force landing on an enemy shore.

2. a secure initial position that has been gained and can be used for further advancement; foothold.

   The company has won a beachhead in the personal computer market.

---

beachhead British  

/ ˈbiːtʃˌhɛd /

noun

1. an area on a beach that has been captured from the enemy and on which troops and equipment are landed

2. the object of an amphibious operation

---

Etymology

Origin of beachhead

First recorded in 1935–40; beach + head

Explanation

During war, troops coming onshore into enemy territory sometimes set up a beachhead, a temporary line of defense they hold until more soldiers arrive. The World War II term beachhead gets its name from the fact that seagoing forces have landed on a beach. It's also influenced by the earlier bridgehead, a defended position at one end of a bridge. As troops on a beachhead wait for reinforcements, they take a position that's safe and secure, from which they can defend themselves and anticipate advancing further. Figuratively, a beachhead can also be the first step you take toward achievement or progress.

Example Sentences

It’s the latter portion — “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” — that leaves room for interpretation, forming the beachhead upon which legal arguments against birthright citizenship have been mounted.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

A battle for a beachhead near Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main naval headquarters, or for Kharg Island, a crucial oil export hub, would risk significant American casualties, former officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

In his address, he told activists he was on a mission to “professionalise and democratise” the party, having given it a "beachhead" in Parliament.

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2024

“Southeast Asia, specifically Thailand and Indonesia, is the beachhead, both as a market and a production base,” said Lei Xing, an independent auto analyst and former chief editor of the China Automotive Review.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2024

Aside from the low ringing of the buoy offshore, it was all so quiet that Turner thought he could hear the tide pulling away from the gravelly beachhead.

From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt