leading lady

noun

: an actress who plays the leading female role

Examples of leading lady 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.
When Sony Classics dropped A Little Prayer, MacLachlan worried first about his leading lady’s work going unnoticed. David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025 The second film will feature two new tracks, with leading ladies Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo each singing one of them. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025 Alan’s leading lady shared a selfie from their appearance at one of the strikes and captioned the post with a handshake emoji. Sabrina Picou, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2025 Knightley’s percolating performance captures the mounting pressure, yet Stone’s straightforward direction doesn’t do his leading lady many favors. Courtney Howard, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leading lady

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leading lady was in 1860

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leading lady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20lady. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

leading lady

noun
: an actress who plays the leading female role in a play or movie

More from Merriam-Webster on leading lady

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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