take the lead
idiom
1
: to take a position that is ahead of others : go first
You take the lead and we'll follow right behind you.
2
: to take the winning position in a race or competition
Her car has taken the lead.
Our team took the lead in the eighth inning.
—often used figurativelyTheir company has taken the lead in developing this new technology.
Examples of take the lead in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hurricanes take the lead Touchdown Miami.
—
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2025
Zack McKinstry scored Riley Greene on a sacrifice bunt to take the lead, and Detroit took a big step toward overcoming its historic regular-season collapse.
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Let your intuition take the lead.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Israel needs to take the lead in this effort—no more dependence on subcontractors.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take the lead
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Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2025
Zack McKinstry scored Riley Greene on a sacrifice bunt to take the lead, and Detroit took a big step toward overcoming its historic regular-season collapse.
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Let your intuition take the lead.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Israel needs to take the lead in this effort—no more dependence on subcontractors.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take the lead
Cite this Entry
“Take the lead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20lead. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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