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

With both teams emerging as the front-runners for the conference title, FIU finds itself in third, facing an uphill battle to close the gap and keep its championship hopes alive. — Alejandro Hernandez, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026

The Horned Frogs showed plenty of fight in nearly upsetting BYU, which could be considered the Big 12 front-runner. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026

And the front-runner in France’s presidential election next year, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, has vowed to roll back the official retirement age to 62 and even previously suggested dropping it to as low as 60. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

Since storming out of that horse in July, Christopher Nolan’s film has become the assumed Best Picture front-runner on the basis of its epic scale, strong reviews, and record-breaking grosses. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for front-runner

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