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.
In a featurette posted Wednesday (Aug. 6), director Jon M. Chu and leading ladies Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande gave fans a narrated sneak peek at what takes place in Wicked: For Good, which will hit theaters in November. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 6 Aug. 2025 Neeson himself raved about his leading lady in an Entertainment Weekly cover story published last month. Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025 Exasperated by his leading lady, the conductor quit right before the premiere. Morgan Richter, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025 His leading lady is Pamela Anderson, playing femme fatale novelist Beth Davenport. Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 1 Aug. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Leading lady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20lady. Accessed 21 Aug. 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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