leader

noun

lead·​er ˈlē-dər 

1

: something that leads: such as

a

: a primary or terminal shoot of a plant

b

: tendon, sinew

the leaders in his wrists moved like baling wire

—Dillon Anderson

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

: loss leader

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

a

: guide, conductor

The tour leader recommended several restaurants in the area.

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

leaderless

ˈlē-dər-ləs 

adjective

Synonyms

• conduit
• pipe
• channel
• tube
• line

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

Porat closed by urging leaders to really dig in and reimagine what’s possible in their own organizations. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025

This multi-day gathering invites spiritual leaders, renowned scholars and creative thinkers from around the world to engage in a thoughtful and insightful dialogue on pressing social issues. —Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Oct. 2025

Video posted by the former Cambodian leader shows Chen standing alongside Hun Sen in 2022 during a meeting of investors. —Helen Regan, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025

After Trump spoke to Lurie, local leaders and advocates worried that Trump would shift his attention from San Francisco, which at one point hosted more billionaires than any other city, to less powerful and more diverse enclaves like Oakland and Alameda. —Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing leader

• born/natural leader
• co-leader
• floor leader
• follow-the-leader
• leader of the opposition
• loss leader
• majority leader
• minority leader
• squadron leader

Rhymes for leader

• bleeder
• breeder
• feeder
• lieder
• meader
• pleader
• reader
• reeder
• seeder
• weeder
• cheerleader
• proofreader

Kids 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

a

: guide entry 1 sense 1a

b

: commander sense 1

c

: conductor sense 2

d

: a person in charge or in control : boss, chief

3

: a horse placed in front of the other horses of a team

leaderless

-ləs 

adjective

leadership

-ˌship

noun