half the battle

Idioms  

1. A successful beginning, as in You've got the shopping list done—that's half the battle. This expression is an abbreviation of an 18th-century proverb, “The first blow is half the battle.”

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

half the battle

Winning the election is just half the battle.

From Slate ● Apr. 15, 2026

But getting through the hearing is only half the battle.

From Barron's ● Apr. 14, 2026

The trouble was that beating Sinner was only half the battle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 1, 2026

It’s because he is in a constant state of identifying the luck in his life, which he says is half the battle when it comes to success.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2025

The narration is one of the prime areas of a speech in which you are able to spin, and framing the terms of the debate is half the battle won.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith