How to Use false start in a Sentence

false start

noun
Definition of false startnext
  • If someone makes a false start, the race is immediately stopped and the runners have to start again.
  • After several false starts, the researchers were finally able to identify the virus causing the epidemic.
  • On third and 7, the Ducks are whistled for a false start.
    — oregonlive, 11 Sep. 2021
  • He was flagged once in the first quarter for a false start.
    — Amie Just | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 11 Jan. 2021
  • But the renaming of the Clear Creek gate proved to be a false start.
    — Sig Christenson, San Antonio Express-News, 17 Apr. 2023
  • Trigg’s false start changed the distance and forced Ole Miss to punt.
    — Mark Heim | [email protected], al, 1 Oct. 2022
  • Fair or not, Michael Dunn was flagged for that false start.
    — Terry Pluto, cleveland, 24 Oct. 2022
  • On 4th-and-1, the Bulldogs were pushed back five yards on a false start.
    — Rob Tate, Houston Chronicle, 21 Oct. 2017
  • The offense’s first snap was a false start by Trent Brown.
    — Mark Daniels, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2022
  • Even a Vaitai false start in the red zone didn’t dissuade the Eagles.
    — Jeff McLane, Philly.com, 24 Oct. 2017
  • The away fans helped force four false start penalties on the Chargers in the first half.
    — Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2024
  • But in view of the bad blood and false starts of the past 12 months, neither seems likely in the short term.
    — Chris Bryant | Bloomberg, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2019
  • The first Cleveland penalty of the game was when Wills was flagged for a false start.
    — Terry Pluto, cleveland, 3 Oct. 2021
  • In the next series, Holden was flagged for a false start.
    — Jim Ayello, USA TODAY, 20 Aug. 2021
  • His false start prompted the team to settle for a field goal.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 27 Sep. 2021
  • The other was for a false start in the third quarter, though the Aztecs went on to score a touchdown on the drive.
    — San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2022
  • Then came a false start from Atwell, and just like that, Louisville was facing a first-and-24.
    — Cameron Teague Robinson, The Courier-Journal, 6 Aug. 2020
  • The aforementioned false start leads a lap for him and the whole offense.
    — Albert Breer, SI.com, 7 June 2018
  • The offensive line was flagged a few times for false starts.
    — Jeff McLane, Philly.com, 13 June 2018
  • The Razorbacks had their offense on the field on 4th and 1 but drew a false start.
    — Jason Yates, Arkansas Online, 21 Nov. 2020
  • Third and 5 from the 15, false start on Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu.
    — oregonlive, 29 Oct. 2022
  • On the first drive, Auburn’s first drive of the game, the third down pass was forced by a false start penalty that pushed Auburn back.
    — Matt Cohen | [email protected], al, 16 Sep. 2023
  • The false starts, the delays-of-game and the offsides piled up Saturday.
    — Luis Torres, orlandosentinel.com, 2 Dec. 2019
  • Amari Niblack committed a false start to force a third-and-10.
    — Nick Alvarez | [email protected], al, 16 Sep. 2023
  • But a false start moved the Texans back 5 yards and Park’s 38-yard attempt was wide left.
    — Richard Dean, Houston Chronicle, 15 Nov. 2019
  • The Hogs were flagged for a false start and had to settle for Cam Little's 23-yard field goal to move ahead 3-0.
    — Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2023
  • Twice, the Buffs got to the 1, but both times had penalties –one for false start, one for holding – push them back.
    — Brian Howell, The Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2019
  • The offense was flagged for five pre-snap false start penalties.
    — Jeff Faraudo, The Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2024
  • First, right guard Shaq Mason had to go for a run after a false start.
    — Jim McBride, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Aug. 2019
  • Arkansas had a false start then ran out the clock with two Trelon Smith runs.
    — Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 12 Dec. 2020

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'false start.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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