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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
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.
Asfura was initially in the lead on Monday by just a few hundred votes, a virtual tie. Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025 An all-star film adaptation was released in 2002 with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellweger in the lead roles, alongside a superstar cast including Richard Gere, Taye Diggs, Christine Baranski and Queen Latifah as Mama Morton. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025 But Hollingsworth broke into the backfield to block the extra point attempt, keeping Wellesley (6-5) in the lead. Matt Goisman, Boston Herald, 27 Nov. 2025 Stephen Colbert won't be in the Late Show studio in the lead-up to Turkey Day. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Nov. 2025 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 8 Dec. 2025.

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