in the lead
idiom
1
: in a position that is ahead of others
They walked single file, with the oldest boy in the lead.
2
: winning in a race or competition
Our team was in the lead.
Examples of in the lead in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The original movie starred Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi in the lead voice roles, while Donna Murphy voiced Mother Gothel.
—
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Jessie Buckley’s and Timothée Chalamet’s wins in the lead acting categories gave 25 points to Hamnet and Marty Supreme, respectively, while Amy Madigan’s surprising (but well deserved) win in Best Supporting Actress gave another 25 points to Weapons.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
With the nod, Erivo also made history as the first Black woman nominated twice in the lead actress (comedy or musical) category.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026
The appearance kicks off what is likely to be months of legal proceedings in the lead-up to a potential criminal trial.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in the lead
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Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Jessie Buckley’s and Timothée Chalamet’s wins in the lead acting categories gave 25 points to Hamnet and Marty Supreme, respectively, while Amy Madigan’s surprising (but well deserved) win in Best Supporting Actress gave another 25 points to Weapons.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
With the nod, Erivo also made history as the first Black woman nominated twice in the lead actress (comedy or musical) category.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026
The appearance kicks off what is likely to be months of legal proceedings in the lead-up to a potential criminal trial.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in the lead
Cite this Entry
“In the lead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20lead. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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