jump-start
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
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to give a jump-start to.
to jump-start an engine.
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to enliven or revive.
to jump-start a sluggish economy.
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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jump-startsimple
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jump-startssimple
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have jump-startedperfect
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has jump-startedperfect
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am jump-startingprogressive
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are jump-startingprogressive
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is jump-startingprogressive
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have been jump-startingperfect progressive
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has been jump-startingperfect progressive
Past
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jump-startedsimple
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had jump-startedperfect
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was jump-startingprogressive
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were jump-startingprogressive
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had been jump-startingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of jump-start
First recorded in 1975–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The ceasefire was supposed to jump-start negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, right?
From Slate ● Jul. 9, 2026
On June 23 the Energy Department’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing announced the American Nuclear Supply Chain Loans—$17.5 billion to jump-start long‑lead procurement items for 10 new 1.1 gigawatt AP1000 reactors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
The Dodgers took full advantage of the Padres’ defensive mistakes to jump-start their offense.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
The move came after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman tweeted on Sunday that his company is hiring people to jump-start its robot business.
From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026
I flicked the television on and off a couple times, then went over and gave it a smack, hoping to jump-start the entire central Michigan cable network with a well-delivered blow, but it wasn’t happening.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
Past studies in mice suggest this shift in brain fueling is what jump-starts the creation of BDNF.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 5, 2023
First is forewarning, which jump-starts the psychological immune system because it’s sleeping most of the time.
From Scientific American ● Mar. 13, 2023
The cartoonish face on a classicized statue jump-starts the statue with an incongruity that magnetizes passers-by.
From New York Times ● Apr. 14, 2022
Perhaps Brown will try to bring in someone from a winning organization, as he did with Lewis, hoping that jump-starts ticket sales.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 1, 2019
Practically everywhere he goes, he jump-starts music programs for children.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2016
“Everything in my life has been jump-started by these books,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
The introduction earlier this year of Google’s Nano Banana image-making tool jump-started adoption of Gemini, boosting monthly users from 450 million in July to more than 650 million as of late October.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
But a stronger effort among policymakers to steady the economy, followed by innovation wins like DeepSeek, jump-started a powerful rebound last fall.
From Barron's ● Nov. 7, 2025
Caudle says Harris’ ascendancy to the top of the Democratic ticket jump-started her excitement to cast her first vote this November — and encourage friends and family to get registered, too.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2024
Without knowing it or meaning to, I had jump-started his search for a life outside Idaho by telling him he could probably find a job anywhere.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
The protagonists of those shows and raunchier offshoots like “Bachelor in Paradise” often found their social followings shooting up into the millions, jump-starting careers or side hustles pitching vitamin gummies or meal kits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
For many Europeans, including former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, the EU—far from being a problem—offers the best hope for jump-starting their lagging economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 28, 2025
“If there is any money left over in the plan, the student can roll the money over to a Roth IRA, jump-starting their retirement planning.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2025
All of this raises the stakes for the chancellor's challenge of delivering both credible tax and spend plans, as well as jump-starting growth at her upcoming Budget.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2025
Like hooking up the wires for the TV or the stereo, or jump-starting a car.
From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
