leading man

noun

Synonyms of leading mannext
: an actor who plays the leading male role

Examples of leading man 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.
Hubert has praise for his leading man as well, noting that James endured two years of rigorous training on the ice. Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026 The 73-year-old actor, once one of Hollywood’s most magnetic leading men, was recently evicted from his home of a decade. Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026 In the case of the Hawks, success this season has come with Jalen Johnson as leading man. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026 The film also stars contemporary leading men Jeremy Allen White and Austin Butler. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leading man

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leading man was in 1827

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Cite this Entry

“Leading man.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20man. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

leading man

noun
: an actor who plays the leading male role in a play or movie

More from Merriam-Webster on leading man

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