leading man

noun

: an actor who plays the leading male role

Examples of leading man in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Related Articles Her reported preference for Alec Baldwin would have been based on the fact that the future Emmy winner and Donald Trump impersonator was hot property in Hollywood and seen as a leading man of the future. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Melissa McCarthy huddled with two-time Oscar winner Finneas while NBA leading man Russell Westbrook nonchalantly passed by. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Candy became a leading man himself, starring in comedies like Planes, Trains and Automobiles with Steve Martin, Uncle Buck with Macaulay Culkin, and Delirious with Mariel Hemingway. People Staff, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 American Splendor was a surprise hit at Sundance, and set the tone for Giamatti’s future as a leading man. David Sims, The Atlantic, 29 Feb. 2024 Though perhaps not as famous as Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant, Dennis Morgan was a quintessential 1940s leading man described as well-mannered and a handsome tenor. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2024 The re-boot of the 1989 bar brawl drama starring Patrick Swayze will get a new leading man in Jake Gyllenhaal in the film due out on March 21. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2024 Hollywood leading men and neighborhood baristas, wedding planners and basketball players, morning-show hosts and accountants, youth pastors and construction workers, your nephew and your aunt. Jonah Weiner, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 That has endured and been extended to creative minds across the pond such as Woody Allen or Quentin Tarantino, as well as films’ leading men. Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leading man.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near leading man

Cite this Entry

“Leading man.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20man. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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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