ringleader
noun
ring·lead·er
ˈriŋ-ˌlē-dər 
: a leader of a ring of individuals engaged especially in improper or unlawful activities
Examples of ringleader in a Sentence
the ringleader of a gang of criminals
Recent Examples on the Web
However, prosecutors depicted him as the ringleader of the robbery and sought a death sentence for him.
—
CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
My parents got the school involved, and the ringleaders were hauled into the vice principal’s office.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 1 Feb. 2026
Anyone who has watched Survivor knows vagaries are the enemy of success, and ultimately the ringleader of Glam, Ciara, still goes down this week.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Law enforcement officials alleged Wedding, who competed for Team Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, was the ringleader of a transnational drug trafficking operation that shipped approximately 60 tons of cocaine a year from Colombia through Mexico, California, and Canada.
—Forbestv, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ringleader
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.
CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
My parents got the school involved, and the ringleaders were hauled into the vice principal’s office.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 1 Feb. 2026
Anyone who has watched Survivor knows vagaries are the enemy of success, and ultimately the ringleader of Glam, Ciara, still goes down this week.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Law enforcement officials alleged Wedding, who competed for Team Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, was the ringleader of a transnational drug trafficking operation that shipped approximately 60 tons of cocaine a year from Colombia through Mexico, California, and Canada.
—Forbestv, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ringleader
Cite this Entry
“Ringleader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ringleader. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ringleader
noun
ring·lead·er
ˈriŋ-ˌlēd-ər
: a leader especially of a group of persons who cause trouble
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
