1
: a person or animal who leads
They chose her as their leader.
the leader of the pack
: 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
Her teachers declared her a born/natural leader.
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/minority 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.
2
: 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
The Times attacked the government in a leader today.
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
Next, we learned about the five basic components of fly-fishing equipment—the rod, reel, line, leader, and flies.—
Terry Lee Foose
Terry Lee Foose
f
g
: something that ranks first
the leaders in the competition
the leaders among communicable diseases
h
: a blank section at the beginning or end of a reel of film or recorded tape
3
: a horse placed in advance of the other horses of a team
In a tandem, two horses are driven one in front of the other, rather than side by side as in a pair. The … horse closest to the vehicle is between the shafts but the leader is out in front by himself connected … only by leather traces and guided by 28-foot reins.—Horseplay
HorseplayExamples 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
Peace deals or a crackdown Voters across Latin America are increasingly ditching leaders that pitched progressive policies aimed at addressing the root issues of conflict, such as lack of opportunities for young people and corruption.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
As the country heads toward a national election, the leader once celebrated as a healer is now viewed by critics as the main driver of these schisms.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Hard-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella emerged as the unlikely vote leader on Sunday, gaining some 44% of votes and beating the pollsters’ favorite, leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda, who received just under 41% of votes.
—Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026
The company brought together performers, business leaders, technology providers, hearing care professionals, media, and deaf and hard-of-hearing people to experience Auracast alongside everyone else in the room.
—Bill Schiffmiller, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for leader
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.
Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
As the country heads toward a national election, the leader once celebrated as a healer is now viewed by critics as the main driver of these schisms.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Hard-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella emerged as the unlikely vote leader on Sunday, gaining some 44% of votes and beating the pollsters’ favorite, leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda, who received just under 41% of votes.
—Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026
The company brought together performers, business leaders, technology providers, hearing care professionals, media, and deaf and hard-of-hearing people to experience Auracast alongside everyone else in the room.
—Bill Schiffmiller, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for leader
Cite this Entry
“Leader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leader. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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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