leading lady

noun

Synonyms of leading ladynext
: 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.
Or would be, if its force-of-nature leading lady Sian Clifford weren’t already doing all the carrying. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026 Lili Reinhart as Olive Reinhart, who’s The Love Hypothesis’s leading lady, is no stranger to the camera. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 28 Sep. 2026 The show’s leading lady was in on it, at one point manning the trigger during a kiss between Sue and her boyfriend Tommy (Joel Oulette). — Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026 The 10-episode series, based on Carley Fortune’s popular romance novel of the same name, stars Yellowjackets and Heated Rivalry actress Sophie Nélisse as leading lady Lucy Ashby. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026 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

Rhymes for leading lady

See All Rhymes for leading lady

Browse Nearby Words

leading indicator
leading lady
leading light
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Cite this Entry

“Leading lady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20lady. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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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

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