leader

noun

lead·​er ˈlē-dər How to pronounce leader (audio)
1
: something that leads: such as
a
: a primary or terminal shoot of a plant
b
: tendon, sinew
the leaders in his wrists moved like baling wireDillon Anderson
c
leaders plural : dots or hyphens (as in an index) used to lead the eye horizontally : ellipsis sense 2
d
chiefly British : a newspaper editorial
e(1)
: something for guiding fish into a trap
(2)
: a short length of material for attaching the end of a fishing line to a lure or hook
g
: something that ranks first
the leaders among communicable diseases
h
: a blank section at the beginning or end of a reel of film or recorded tape
2
: a person who leads: such as
a
: guide, conductor
The tour leader recommended several restaurants in the area.
b(1)
: a person who directs a military force or unit
leaders of the army
(2)
: a person who has commanding authority or influence
a leader in the reform movement
c(1)
: the principal officer of a British political party
(2)
: a party member chosen to manage party activities in a legislative body
the majority leader
(3)
: such a party member presiding over the whole legislative body when the party constitutes a majority
the leader of the House
d(1)
: conductor sense c
the orchestra's leader
(2)
: a first or principal performer of a group
The concertmaster is the leader of the violin section.
3
: a horse placed in advance of the other horses of a team
leaderless adjective

Examples of leader in a Sentence

The tour leader suggested several restaurants in the area. She was the leader for most of the race, but she eventually finished second. The class focused on the great religious leaders of the last century. the leader of an army a leader of the antiwar movement Some people are leaders, and some people are followers. The company has become a leader in developing new technology. the leader of a popular big band of the 1930s The Times attacked the government in a leader today.
Recent Examples on the Web The Amish church originated in the late 17th century from followers of Jakob Amman, a Swiss Anabaptist leader. Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2024 The cases sparked a scramble among Michigan public health leaders to track down everyone who might have crossed paths with the infected people and determine whether they all had been fully vaccinated against measles. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024 His disclosure of the case involving Miller came hours after the Democrat-Gazette published an article about it and the lack of disclosure by church leaders. Frank E. Lockwood, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024 The San Diego County Taxpayers Association, which had strongly supported Proposition B, said city leaders must demonstrate more effective fiscal management before getting any sort of pension reprieve. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 That same year, UNITE HERE Local 11 co-president Ada Briceño took over the Democratic Party of Orange County and brought in the people power organizing and radicalism that local party leaders had long shunned. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 But the Ukrainian reaction to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Putin’s greatest opponent, has highlighted the depth of the disconnect between the two sides. Serhiy Morgunov, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 According to the communications and marketing leaders of Forbes Communications Council, implementing at least one of the following nine elements is a good place to start. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 But the leaders appeared to remain divided on Ukraine funding, with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., insisting that addressing the situation at the border needed to be the top priority. Tamara Keith, NPR, 27 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of leader was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near leader

Cite this Entry

“Leader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leader. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

leader

noun
lead·​er ˈlēd-ər How to pronounce leader (audio)
1
: something that leads: as
a
: a short line for attaching the end of a fishing line to a lure or hook
b
: a pipe for conducting fluid
2
: a person that leads: as
d
: a person in charge or in control : boss, chief
3
: a horse placed in front of the other horses of a team
leaderless adjective
leadership
-ˌship
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on leader

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