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

But getting through the hearing is only half the battle.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Showing up at those places is half the battle, really.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

In any case, I’m glad to see Conan back — he brings a great side-eye energy to the proceedings and seems perfectly at home on that big, sumptuously dressed stage, which is half the battle.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

Staying focused on numbers is half the battle, Mikula said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

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