trailblazer

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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

Recent Examples of trailblazer from the Web

But to Heaphy, Lucas is a true trailblazer regardless of how many black general managers have come after him.

— alex putterman, The Atlantic, "The Forgotten Legacy of Bill Lucas", 4 June 2017
Duke is one of several space trailblazers who will be in town June 7 for the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s Apollo 16 45th anniversary celebration.

— diane bell, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Astronaut's family photo is truly out of this world", 29 May 2017
Fans and fellow musicians shared their sorrow and sentiments on social media following the news that Gregg Allman, a trailblazer of Southern rock, died at his Savannah home Saturday.

— atlanta life, ajc, "Cher, John Mayer and dozens of fans react to the death of ‘soulful trailblazer’ Gregg Allman", 27 May 2017
The two are widely considered trailblazers in bread, offering everything from a coriander and fennel-seed sourdough to a savory-sweet brioche made with koji, the starter used to ferment miso and soy sauce.

— louisa chu, chicagotribune.com, "12 of Chicago's best breads, from bakery loaves to restaurant plates", 25 May 2017
The album helped cement the band's reputation as country-rock trailblazers.

— bob kostanczuk, Post-Tribune, "The Byrds' McGuinn takes flight in solo show", 25 May 2017
For the upcoming HBO documentary titled The Defiant Ones, Eminem paid homage to two of music biggest trailblazers in Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine.

— carl lamarre, Billboard, "Eminem Praises Dr. Dre & Jimmy Iovine in 'The Defiant Ones' Trailer", 24 May 2017
The inspiration for the project came from the work of trailblazers at several universities, who used the Internet to link public schools with college-level research projects and professors.

— judy democker, WIRED, "Too Cool for School", 28 Apr. 1999

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

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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