Spearhead meaning in English
Learn how to use Spearhead correctly with Gymglish.
Test and improve your English. Start your free trial today.
TEST YOUR ENGLISH
Free trial and no commitment to buy
4,7 on App Store, Play Store and Trustpilot
More than 8 million learners worldwide
Definition
to spearhead (a campaign): to lead, to direct (a campaign)
Susie will be spearheading our next marketing campaign. We expect great things, after how well she managed the last campaign.
Examples
- "He has spearheaded countless fundraising efforts for non-profit organizations throughout the city."
- "She's the one that spearheaded our latest environmental initiatives."
Exercise 1
Susie tells Mayor Flimshaw that Bruno Delavigne has "spearheaded countless fundraising efforts". What does this mean exactly?
Susie tells Mayor Flimshaw that Bruno Delavigne has "spearheaded countless fundraising efforts". What does this mean exactly?
This is the best choice here. "To spearhead" is an administrative and military term which means "to lead" or "guide".
This answer is inappropriate. Bruno is not "against" these campaigns at all. He leads these efforts.
Although Bruno has helped to raise funds for various causes, the phrase does not necessarily imply that Bruno has "founded" any organizations.
This response does not address the topic of "fundraising", which appears in the phrase above.
This choice is inappropriate. Although a "spear" is a weapon, and a "spearhead" is as well, as a verb "to spearhead" is entirely different.
Exercise 2
'She's the one that spearheaded our latest environmental initiatives'.
Which could best replace spearheaded in Bruno's sentence?
Which could best replace spearheaded in Bruno's sentence?
'She's the one that spearheaded our latest environmental initiatives'.
Which could best replace spearheaded in Bruno's sentence?
Which could best replace spearheaded in Bruno's sentence?
This is incorrect. The term 'to inspire' shares a similar meaning with 'to give an idea' or 'to motivate'. To say that someone 'spearheaded' a campaign doesn't necessarily indicate that they 'inspired' or 'started' it, only that they 'led' or 'guided' it. Example: 'The visit I made to Provence inspired me to write a novel'. This is not the same meaning as the term 'to spearhead'.
This is incorrect. The term 'to complete' shares a similar meaning with 'to finish'. Example: 'I completed the project a week ahead of schedule'. This is not the same meaning as the term 'to spearhead'.
This is the best choice here. The term 'to spearhead' shares a similar meaning with 'to lead' or 'to initiate'. It is used to describe the 'driving force' behind an event. Example: 'Tony Bear spearheaded the recent reforms to the British education system'.
This is incorrect. The term 'to finance' means 'to fund' or 'to pay for'. Example: 'The new building was financed by a philanthropist named Phileas Frogg'. This is not the same meaning as the term 'to spearhead'.
This is incorrect. The term 'to skewer' means 'to pierce' or 'to impale'. Example: 'We skewered the Philistines and put their heads on pikes'. This is not the same meaning as the term 'to spearhead'.
Still unsure of the best way to use 'Spearhead'? Improve your English thanks to our online English lessons. We offer a free test as well as a free level assessment!
What our users say:
Test your English with Gymglish today and get a free level assessment
Absolutely free - no strings attached.
