spearheads

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "spearhead" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to someone or something as being the leader or most prominent member of a group or movement. For example: "The committee appointed Mary to spearhead the charity drive."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The state's coalition government led by the Congress party, which also spearheads the coalition behind India's national government has a narrow four-seat majority in the 140-seat assembly.

The Economist

Visualisation deals with the inhuman scale of the information and the need to present it at the very human scale of what the eye can see," says Mr Wattenberg, who has since moved to IBM and now spearheads a new generation of data-visualisation specialists.Market information may be hard to display, but at least the data are numerical.

The Economist

It is one of the few areas where President Vicente Fox has something to show for his promise to "transform" Mexico.To bypass irredeemably corrupt police forces, Mr Fox set up the Federal Investigations Agency, a 6,000-strong 6,000-strongpearheads the force againsthate traffickerspearheads

The Economist

In one village, your correspondent saw a group of SPLA soldiers melting bullets to fashion spearheads for hunting gazelles.

The Economist

Cisco created a second headquarters in Bangalore Cisco East that spearheads much of the company's emerging-markets strategy.

The Economist

They were spearheads for Portuguese influence in places ranging from Brazil to Goa to Macau but they didn't always endear themselves to the authorities in Lisbon; in 1759 they were expelled from the Portugese empire.

The Economist

It was fortunate, perhaps, that the "spearheads" on duty at the critical moment were paratroopers.

The Economist

Instead of bombs, says Mr Tobaccowala, advertisers now "make lots of spearheads and then get people to impale themselves".

The Economist

In theory, all Israeli mainstream parties are committed to a "two-state solution"; in practice, the growing modern-Orthodox settler movement in the West Bank spearheads a government policy of occupation without end.

The Economist

Though the hafting is quite different, bronze Sumerian spearheads of the 3rd millennium bc differ only marginally in shape from the leaf-shaped spearheads of classical Greece.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Instead, Facebook is focused on pure cost-cutting, and spearheads the Open Compute Project, a kind of open-source, cloud-computing architecture.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "spearheads" to describe initiatives or movements, especially when emphasizing a forward-moving or aggressive approach. This term works well when describing a strategic or innovative leadership role.

Common error

Avoid using "spearheads" when the subject is not actively leading or initiating something. It is best used to describe someone or something that takes a prominent, active role.

Linguistic Context

The word "spearheads" functions primarily as a verb in the third-person singular present tense, indicating that someone or something leads or initiates a particular activity or effort. It can also function as a plural noun, referring to multiple spearheads. Ludwig AI confirms this usage across a variety of examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Encyclopedias

29%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

2%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The analysis reveals that "spearheads" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term, predominantly functioning as a verb to denote leadership and initiation. Ludwig AI confirms that its meaning is widely accepted and applied. It's most commonly found in News & Media and Encyclopedias. To maintain precision, ensure that "spearheads" is used when actively describing a leading role and avoid passive contexts. Consider alternatives like "leads the charge" or "pioneers" to add nuance or style. Ultimately, "spearheads" is a strong choice when highlighting strategic and innovative leadership.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

spearheads the effort

Synonymous but explicitly defines "spearheads" as the leader of an effort.

is at the forefront of

Highlights being in a leading position regarding an activity or movement.

leads the charge

Emphasizes aggressive leadership and being at the forefront of an action.

takes the lead on

Focuses on the act of assuming responsibility for guiding a project.

pioneers

Highlights innovation and being the first to develop or use something.

champions

Suggests advocacy and strong support for a cause or initiative.

orchestrates

Emphasizes skillful coordination and management of various elements.

drives

Implies strong initiative and energy in pushing forward a project or goal.

masterminds

Implies clever planning and strategic thinking in leading an undertaking.

heads up

An informal way to describe someone taking the lead on a project.

FAQs

How can I use "spearheads" in a sentence?

You can use "spearheads" to describe someone or something that leads an initiative or movement. For example: "The company "spearheads the new marketing campaign"."

What are some alternatives to "spearheads"?

Some alternatives include "leads the charge", "pioneers", or "is at the forefront of", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say 'the project is being spearhead'? Should I use spearheads instead?

No, "spearheads" is incorrect in that context. The correct phrasing would be "the project is being spearheaded". The verb "spearhead" requires conjugation to fit the tense of the sentence.

What is the difference between "spearheads" and "manages"?

"Spearheads" implies a leading and initiating role, often with innovation or strategic direction. "Manages", on the other hand, suggests overseeing and coordinating existing processes, which doesn't mean necessarily being the leader but ensure efficiency and completion.