beachhead

noun

beach·​head ˈbēch-ˌhed How to pronounce beachhead (audio)
Synonyms of beachheadnext
1
: an area on a hostile shore occupied to secure further landing of troops and supplies
2
: foothold

Examples of beachhead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While workforce agencies are the beachhead, talent marketplaces are needed more broadly. — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2026 The war games don’t generally start with Chinese marines clawing their way up a beachhead, Normandy style. — Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026 Private equity was a natural beachhead. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 4 May 2026 Your sons, daughters, granddaughters, grandsons could be on Kharg Island or be holding a beachhead down by the Strait of Hormuz. — ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beachhead

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beachhead was in 1920

Rhymes for beachhead

See All Rhymes for beachhead

Browse Nearby Words

beach grass
beachhead
beach heather
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beachhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beachhead. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

beachhead

noun
beach·​head ˈbēch-ˌhed How to pronounce beachhead (audio)
: an area on an enemy shore held by an advance force of an invading army to protect the later landing of troops or supplies

More from Merriam-Webster on beachhead

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for beachhead

Nglish: Translation of beachhead for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All