head start

American  

Or headstart

noun

1. an advantage given or acquired in any competition, endeavor, etc., as allowing one or more competitors in a race to start before the others.

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head start British  

noun

1. an initial advantage in a competitive situation

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head start Idioms  

1. An early start that confers an advantage, as in This year we'll get a head start on the competition by running more ads. The expression comes from racing, where it was used for a horse being given an advantage of several lengths over the others. Its extension to other areas dates from the early 1900s.

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Etymology

Origin of head start

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

That head start isn’t even the most concerning part.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

The higher baseline - or head start - means similar summer weather patterns now reach heatwave and extreme heat thresholds more easily.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

And Delrahim’s move gave Ellison’s Paramount a head start in the regulatory approval process.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

If what you say is true, she may have already gotten a head start on doing just that.

From MarketWatch • May 25, 2026

It turns out that human development on some continents got a head start in time over developments on others.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond