van

1
as in vanguard
the innovators of new concepts, styles, and techniques especially in the arts an artist who was in the van of abstract expressionism

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in forefront
the leading or most important part of a movement a company that is considered by some to be in the van of the latest technology for renewable energy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of van It's flung open the doors to its second production facility that's set up to roll out over 10,000 of its driverless four-passenger vans annually. New Atlas, 20 June 2025 Officers with assault rifles and faces covered pulled those arrested into vans and trucks. Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025 Around noon, federal agents in riot gear pushed through to clear the way for a van. E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 13 June 2025 The trailer works on iPhones 18.4 or later. F1, out in theaters June 27 from Apple Original Films, stars Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a fictional Formula One prodigy in the 1990s who has to retire due to a crash and now lives in a van and gambles his life away. Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for van
Recent Examples of Synonyms for van
Noun
  • Lalonde was key in developing a unique strategy that brought the group’s vanguard brands B&B Italia, Flos, Louis Poulsen, Maxalto, Arclinea and Azucena under one roof.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 27 June 2025
  • The multi-media vanguard is now channeling his creative vision into telling authentic stories of Black love through independent filmmaking.
    Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • The three accounts that were at the forefront of the action were X users Viktorious Hovland, Hovland Updates and Daily Hovi.
    Savannah Leigh Richardson, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025
  • As key contributors to local economies and industries, these businesses are at the forefront of job creation, wealth generation, and community empowerment.
    Essence, Essence, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • Turkmenistan possesses the world’s fourth largest reserves of natural gas in its underground, exporting gas to countries such as Pakistan, China, India, Iran and Russia.
    David Bressan, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
  • New York is home to a thriving underground of edgy, experimental noise bands right now, and Brutus VIII, the conceptual project led by musician Jackson Katz, is one of the best.
    Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • The neo-soul pioneer treated fans to a journey through her extensive catalog of hits, each song delivered with her signature blend of spiritual intensity and playful irreverence.
    Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 6 July 2025
  • Visitors can congregate under the sculptures honoring jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Buddy Bolden, Mahalia Jackson and others.
    Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Van.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/van. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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