front-runner

noun

front-run·​ner ˈfrənt-ˌrə-nər 

1

: a contestant who runs best when in the lead

2

: 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

Paredes entered Thursday with the team’s second-highest OPS and an enormous responsibility of hitting behind American League MVP front-runner Yordan Alvarez in the batting order. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Grospiron had been appointed only last year — after French biathlon star Martin Fourcade withdrew his candidacy despite being seen as the front-runner for the job. — ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026

Former Florida Panthers president Michael Yormark, who had been an early front-runner for the job, is no longer considered a top candidate. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026

The AfD had long been the front-runner for this weekend’s election, but securing an elusive majority, rare in Germany, was always going to be hard. — Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for front-runner

• forerunner
• brunner
• gunnar
• gunner
• runner
• tonner