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
Zervos’ probability of becoming Trump’s pick tied that of former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh’s, who was once considered the front-runner for the position.
—
Sean Conlon,yun Li, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2025
Losing candidates often hope to salvage something from their effort by backing the front-runner.
—M.l. Elrick, Freep.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Two key figures, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, appear to be the front-runners.
—Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Judge was flirting with .400 and Fried was the front-runner for the Cy Young Award, which would have been his first.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
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Sean Conlon,yun Li, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2025
Losing candidates often hope to salvage something from their effort by backing the front-runner.
—M.l. Elrick, Freep.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Two key figures, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, appear to be the front-runners.
—Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Judge was flirting with .400 and Fried was the front-runner for the Cy Young Award, which would have been his first.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for front-runner
Cite this Entry
“Front-runner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/front-runner. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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