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.
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 Formal announcements await the remaining leading ladies who will appear alongside Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, as Yoko Ono, Pattie Boyd, and Maureen Starkey. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025 Not to mention, Aisha Dee is such a delight as the film’s leading lady. Vanessa Maki, Vulture, 8 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 17 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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