front-runner

noun

front-run·ner ˈfrənt-ˌrə-nər

: a contestant who runs best when in the lead

: a leading contestant in or as if in a rivalry or competition

a political front-runner

Examples of front-runner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Two high-ranking officials on separate teams — one from each conference — believe Lee is a lead candidate and front-runner to be Clifford’s successor. —

Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 4 Apr. 2024 Houston thought the Warriors were pretentious front-runners. —

Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024 Tuesday is primary day in New York, where former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden are the front-runners, having already clinched their respective parties' 2024 nominations last month. —

Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024 Isaiah Wynn is expected to be the front-runner to start at left guard. —

Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024 Embiid dropped 51 points on 17-of-25 shooting and 12 rebounds against the Timberwolves and Defensive Player of the Year front-runner Rudy Gobert on Dec. 20, while Tyrese Maxey had 35 points on 12-of-24 shooting and five assists in that same game. —

Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024 But the Texas law has provoked an unusual moment of unity between the two front-runners — Claudia Sheinbaum, a López Obrador ally, and Xóchitl Gálvez, the main challenger from the opposition — who both have criticized the legislation and U.S. treatment of migrants. —

Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 Rule 5 Draft pick Matt Sauer is a front-runner for the final spot. —

Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 The decision by Ohio voters on Tuesday to nominate Bernie Moreno to take on Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, is the capstone of a year that has crowned nominees — or anointed clear front-runners — with remarkable wealth in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Montana and now Ohio. —

Jonathan Weisman, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024

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