leadoff

1 of 2

noun

lead·​off ˈlēd-ˌȯf How to pronounce leadoff (audio)
1
: a beginning or leading action
2
: one that leads off
leadoff adjective

lead off

2 of 2

verb

led off; leading off; leads off

intransitive verb

: begin
also : to come on or perform first

transitive verb

1
: to make a start on : open
2
: to bat first for a baseball team in (an inning)

Examples of leadoff in a Sentence

Verb plans to lead off the news conference with a prepared statement
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Steven Kwan — The Fremont native graduated from Washington High, the same school as A’s Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley, and has become one of the top leadoff hitters in the majors. Laurence Miedema, The Mercury News, 1 Oct. 2024 Hypothetically, Ohtani could throw full-intensity at-bats against hitters in live BPs the afternoon of a playoff game, then have to turn around and serve as the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter later that night. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
Verb
In the graph below, the selling led off, as was expected. John S. Tobey, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024 Sanders led off his last big road win, at TCU, demanding respect. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 28 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for leadoff 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leadoff.' 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

Noun

circa 1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1806, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of leadoff was in 1806

Dictionary Entries Near leadoff

Cite this Entry

“Leadoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leadoff. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

leadoff

noun
lead·​off ˈlēd-ˌȯf How to pronounce leadoff (audio)
1
: a beginning action
2
: one that begins something
leadoff adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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