gain the lead

phrase

: to take the winning position in a race or competition

Her car has gained the lead.

Our team gained the lead in the eighth inning.

—often used figuratively

Their company has gained the lead in developing this new technology.

Examples of gain the lead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

New Zealand once again rallied and produced a superb try by backrower Peter Lakai to gain the lead for the first time at 12-10. — ABC News, 4 July 2026

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is hustling to gain the lead with its Blue Moon landers; a prototype is due to launch early next year. — Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025

Organizations that will gain the lead aren’t chasing the next tool. — Shanna Apitz, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025

Then West can’t gain the lead, and South loses only one more trick to East’s high trump. — Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024

The teams continued to fight to gain the lead, but each were unable to add another point to their final tallies by the end. — Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 27 July 2023

While Caroline Ducharme’s layup would briefly give the Huskies the lead, a Georgia Tech free throw evened the score once more, and both teams lost chances to gain the lead in the final minute of the period. — Alexa Philippou, courant.com, 9 Dec. 2021

Fi Fi Pharoah showed her royal breeding by coming from last, making a move on the far turn and then going four wide into the stretch to gain the lead and win by half-a-length. — John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2021

The second Kentucky batter walked up and homered to gain the lead. — Giana Han, al, 27 Mar. 2021

Rhymes for gain the lead

• abovesaid
• aforesaid
• arrowhead
• casinghead
• copperhead
• figurehead
• fountainhead
• gingerbread
• hammerhead
• infrared
• leatherhead
• letterhead