leading edge

\ ˈlē-diŋ-

How to pronounce leading edge (audio)

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Definition of leading edge

1 : the forward part of something that moves or seems to move

2 : the foremost edge of an airfoil

3 : cutting edge

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Examples of leading edge in a Sentence

the leading edge of an airplane's wing the leading edge of a thunderstorm

Recent Examples on the Web The dust over Puerto Rico represented the leading edge of a giant plume that had traveled more than 5,000 miles from the Sahara desert across the Atlantic Ocean, spreading into the skies above North America and beyond. — Alejandra Borunda, National Geographic, "Saharan dust is bad for health. But it’s also crucial to Earth’s biology and climate," 30 June 2020 Then the office of Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins reached out, having learned that Bendt was on the leading edge of distillers making their own sanitizer. — Tom Benning, Dallas News, "This Lewisville distillery shows why Congress put small businesses at forefront of coronavirus relief," 18 June 2020 The state, long on the leading edge of LGBTQ rights, now bans discrimination based on gender identity or expression as well, according to the legal defense and advocacy group GLAD. — Adam Liptak, BostonGlobe.com, "Civil rights law protects gay and transgender workers, Supreme Court rules," 15 June 2020 Instead, look at the leading edge of the clay, find the space in front of it, and pull the trigger. — Joe Genzel, Outdoor Life, "6 Tips for Becoming a Crack Shot with Your Shotgun Inside 40 Yards," 10 June 2020 Headquartered in San Francisco, Buffer was on the leading edge of the COVID-19 lockdowns. — NBC News, "A four-day work week might be exactly what the U.S. — and its economy — needs right now," 21 May 2020 As wind pushes waves toward the leading edge of the ice floe, what's happening underneath the water's surface makes a big difference. — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, "What Are These Strange Ice Volcanoes Along Lake Michigan?," 20 Feb. 2020 For example, a team at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory has devised a liquid sodium system that drains heat from a leading edge through continuous evaporation and condensation. — Richard Stone, Science | AAAS, "‘National pride is at stake.’ Russia, China, United States race to build hypersonic weapons," 8 Jan. 2020 When a space shuttle returning from orbit hit the upper atmosphere at Mach 25, its blunt leading edges heated to 1400°C, which a skin of carbon-carbon composites helped it withstand. — Richard Stone, Science | AAAS, "‘National pride is at stake.’ Russia, China, United States race to build hypersonic weapons," 8 Jan. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'leading edge.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near leading edge

leading article

leading indicator

Statistics for leading edge

Last Updated

5 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Leading edge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20edge. Accessed 14 Jul. 2020.

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