starting gate
Americannoun
noun
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a movable barrier so placed on the starting line of a racecourse that the raising of it releases all the contestants simultaneously
-
the US name for starting stalls
Etymology
Origin of starting gate
First recorded in 1895–1900
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.
He is the even-money favorite on the morning line for the 1-1/16-mile race, which will award 50 Derby points to the winner, guaranteeing a spot in the starting gate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026
"When I think back on my crash, I didn't stand in the starting gate unaware of the potential consequences. I knew what I was doing. I chose to take a risk," she added.
From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026
With one surgically rebuilt knee and a completely torn ACL in the other, the 41-year-old Vonn gutted her way to the starting gate and had a real chance of medaling before her violent crash.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026
Vonn crashed just 13 seconds after leaving the starting gate, losing control and falling hard on the course.
From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2026
On May 11 Smith began the third phase of starting gate instruction.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
