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

And how much does a parent give a child so they can have a head start in life, but just enough for them to go out and seek their fortune independently?

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

“We are heading in another direction in the next decade, and the companies that had a head start will have an advantage.”

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

FanDuel and DraftKings need to figure out how to cut into Kalshi and Polymarket’s head start on prediction markets without running afoul of state regulators who hold the keys to their sports-betting licenses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 24, 2026

"Intervening in the 30s, 40s and 50s gives us a head start," Erickson said.

From Science Daily • Jan. 22, 2026

I said again as if repeating that thought would give me a running head start into getting the next thought going.

From "Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key" by Jack Gantos