Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words

trailblazer

play
noun trail·blaz·er \ ˈtrāl-ˌblā-zər \

Definition of trailblazer

1 :pioneer 2
  • a trailblazer in astrophysics
2 :one that blazes a trail to guide others :pathfinder

See trailblazer defined for English-language learners

See trailblazer defined for kids

From the M-W Editors

young-plant-shoots
Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!
video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066
image961678022
10 Uncommon Words for 'Drunkard'
alt-59c94ad823f29
'Meat Sweats': The Cookout's Worst Nightmare

Recent Examples of trailblazer from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'trailblazer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of trailblazer

1908

TRAILBLAZER Defined for English Language Learners

trailblazer

play
noun

Definition of trailblazer for English Language Learners

  • : a person who makes, does, or discovers something new and makes it acceptable or popular

  • : a person who marks or prepares a trail through a forest or field for other people to follow

Learn More about trailblazer

  1. See words that rhyme with trailblazer

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up trailblazer? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

broadside

play

a strongly worded attack

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. dotage, dotard a state or period of senile decay

  2. otherwise "in other respects"

  3. federalism Graham says bill gives power to states

  4. bodega "Don’t mess with the beloved bodega."

  5. carceral Of, relating to, or suggesting a jail or prison

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

trailblazer

Test Your Vocabulary

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

  • young-plant-shoots
  • Which of the following is a new sense of the word bunny?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

image961678022
10 Uncommon Words for 'Drunkard'

Tosspots, stewbums, and all the rest

alt-59c94ad823f29
'Meat Sweats': The Cookout's Worst Nightmare

They're real, but is meat the cause?

alt-59c919f342079
'Diffuse' vs. 'Defuse'

Let us defuse the situation.

alt-59c52d6ee2f72
Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

The word's origins are quite literal

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

young-plant-shoots
Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

You're going to have to memorize the dictionary again.

Take the quiz
stylized-drawing-of-woman-pole-vaulting-across-gap-to-get-trophy
Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

No tricks, just difficult words.

Take the quiz
True or False
True or False?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

Take the quiz
Word Winder's CrossWinder
Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game