go-ahead
noun
Usually the go-ahead permission or a signal to proceed.
go-ahead
American
[goh-uh-hed]
/ ˈgoʊ əˌhɛd /
noun
-
go-aheads
plural
-
Usually the go-ahead permission or a signal to proceed.
They got the go-ahead on the construction work.
-
Baseball. Usually the go-ahead go-ahead run.
With two outs, and the go-ahead on first, Hoffman winds up and delivers the pitch.
-
Chiefly Hawaii and California. a sandal held on the foot by a strap between the big toe and the next toe.
adjective
-
moving forward; advancing.
-
a go-ahead Yankee peddler.
go ahead
British
verb
noun
adjective
go ahead
Idioms
-
Move forward rapidly or act without restraint; also, continue something. For example, If you want to borrow the tractor, go ahead . This expression is often put as go ahead with , as in Are you going ahead with the house party? The term dates from the mid-1600s and gave rise to give the go-ahead , meaning “give permission to move or act in some way.”
-
go ahead of . Make one's way to the front of, as in They went ahead of me to see the purser . [Mid-1700s]
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of go-ahead
An Americanism first recorded in 1830–40; noun and adjective use of verb phrase go ahead
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Bauers delivered the knockout blow in Milwaukee’s 6-2 victory on Wednesday, smashing a go-ahead, two-run home run off ace Blake Snell to give the Brewers a lead they would never relinquish.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
And then Luis Lara sent a ground-ball single through the middle of the infield to drive in the go-ahead run.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
However, that decision was challenged in several Belfast courts on Saturday, before finally being given the go-ahead just hours before it was due to take place.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
Shell CEO Wael Sawan says the investment go-ahead reflects confidence in Canada as a place to invest and do business for the long-term.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Ob and I agreed to meet Cletus at his house on Saturday, so Ob could meet Cletus’s parents and get the go-ahead for Cletus to come with us to Putnam County next week.
From "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant
In winter, "pupils are forced to keep their coats on," he said, while summer heatwaves have raised questions about whether end-of-year exams can go ahead.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
The commission said the parade should start earlier than the Orange Order wanted and with fewer people, but could go ahead for the first time in 28 years.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Last month the Parades Commission decided that the march could go ahead on 27 September with restrictions in place after its original decision to stop the march was overturned in court.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
The Parades Commission ruled that the march could go ahead with restrictions in place.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
“But don’t you want to go ahead to the city on BaiMa?” asked Yishan.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
If they can secure the zoning approval and the go-aheads from the community advisory board and gaming commission, they will then have to pay at least a $500 million license fee to the state.
From New York Times ● May 2, 2022
After my recent column on different synonyms for flip-flops — zories, go-aheads, thongs, etc. — readers wrote in to share terms they learned growing up.
From Washington Post ● May 5, 2021
But church officials say their own plan is “shovel ready,” awaiting formal go-aheads from city and state financing agencies.
From New York Times ● Mar. 26, 2010
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
