1
: something that leads: such as
a
: a primary or terminal shoot of a plant
c
leaders plural
: dots or hyphens (as in an index) used to lead the eye horizontally : ellipsis sense 2
d
chiefly British
: a newspaper editorial
e(1)
: something for guiding fish into a trap
(2)
: a short length of material for attaching the end of a fishing line to a lure or hook
f
g
: something that ranks first
the leaders among communicable diseases
h
: a blank section at the beginning or end of a reel of film or recorded tape
2
: a person who leads: such as
b(1)
: a person who directs a military force or unit
leaders of the army
(2)
: a person who has commanding authority or influence
a leader in the reform movement
c(1)
: the principal officer of a British political party
(2)
: a party member chosen to manage party activities in a legislative body
the majority leader
(3)
: such a party member presiding over the whole legislative body when the party constitutes a majority
the leader of the House
d(1)
: conductor sense c
the orchestra's leader
(2)
: a first or principal performer of a group
The concertmaster is the leader of the violin section.
3
: a horse placed in advance of the other horses of a team
Examples of leader in a Sentence
The tour leader suggested several restaurants in the area.
She was the leader for most of the race, but she eventually finished second.
The class focused on the great religious leaders of the last century.
the leader of an army
a leader of the antiwar movement
Some people are leaders, and some people are followers.
The company has become a leader in developing new technology.
the leader of a popular big band of the 1930s
The Times attacked the government in a leader today.
Recent Examples on the Web
Other world leaders in attendance included include UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Britain's Prince William, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
—
Mike Snider, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Thursday, April 24, Trump called out Russia’s leader over a deadly attack on Kyiv, Ukraine.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 26 Apr. 2025
White smoke signals a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church is selected.
—Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
The support creates ripple effects that positively impact today’s generation of children and many generations to come; children receiving humanitarian aid today are the leaders, innovators, and change makers of tomorrow.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leader
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mike Snider, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Thursday, April 24, Trump called out Russia’s leader over a deadly attack on Kyiv, Ukraine.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 26 Apr. 2025
White smoke signals a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church is selected.
—Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
The support creates ripple effects that positively impact today’s generation of children and many generations to come; children receiving humanitarian aid today are the leaders, innovators, and change makers of tomorrow.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leader
Cite this Entry
“Leader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leader. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
leader
noun
lead·er
ˈlēd-ər 
1
: something that leads: as
a
: a short line for attaching the end of a fishing line to a lure or hook
b
: a pipe for conducting fluid
2
: a person that leads: as
3
: a horse placed in front of the other horses of a team
leadership
noun
-ˌship
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