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

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

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

But working with people you like is half the battle, and it might be worth talking to your manager/superior about managing your workload, and taking a sabbatical to see if you like not working 24/7.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 20, 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

I said that defining your terms is half the battle won.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith