vanguard

noun

van·​guard ˈvan-ˌgärd 

 also  ˈvaŋ-

1

: the forefront of an action or movement

2

: the troops moving at the head of an army

vanguardism

ˈvan-ˌgär-ˌdi-zəm 

 also  ˈvaŋ-

noun

vanguardist

ˈvan-ˌgär-dist 

 also  ˈvaŋ-

noun

Did you know?

Vanguard comes from Anglo-French avantgarde, from avant, meaning "before," and garde, "guard." In medieval times, avantgarde referred to the troops that marched at the head of the army. In time, vanguard marched its way as a word for the group of people who are the leaders of an action or movement in society, politics, art, etc.

Synonyms

• avant-garde
• cutting edge
• van

Examples of vanguard in a Sentence

a style of jazz that the vanguard quickly recognized as new and exciting

talk radio is often regarded as being in the vanguard of the conservative movement

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, as Butler notes, America’s Christian fundamentalists and far-right Republicans are fervently in the anti-gender vanguard, whether or not these groups actually use the word gender. —Katha Pollitt, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024

Bartók, like Igor Stravinsky and Alban Berg, had the fortune to be a popular modernist, appealing to a broad audience while keeping his place in the twentieth-century vanguard. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024

Some of the accolades held by these female-identifying vanguards include championing the advancement of women in the industry through radio and television, influencing the beginning stages of a genre, helping develop the first Moog Synthesizer and founding new styles of music. —Lisa Kocay, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

The goal was to create a publication capable of keeping pace with a vanguard neighborhood’s extraordinary political and artistic ferment. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024

Rihanna, ever the fashion vanguard, shows us just how cool cozy can be. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 4 Jan. 2024

Vivienne Westwood, who died in December 2022, has long been recognized as a vanguard of the fashion industry — pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable, even at times what was wearable, and using her platform to amplify discussions on climate change and over-consumption. —Leah Dolan, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024

By 1927, the Bruces, who had arrived as a vanguard in the Western wing of the Great Migration away from the Jim Crow South, had moved away. —Dennis Romero, NBC News, 31 Jan. 2024

In September, Shakira was honored with the coveted video vanguard award at the MTV Video Music Awards, which recognizes an artist’s lifetime achievement. —Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vauntgard, borrowed from Anglo-French vantgarde, avantgarde, from avant- "fore-" (from avant "before," going back to Late Latin abante) + garde guard entry 1 — more at advance entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing vanguard

• the vanguard
• at the vanguard

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Kids Definition

vanguard

noun

van·​guard ˈvan-ˌgärd 

1

: the troops moving at the head of an army

2

: the forefront of an action or movement

Etymology

Middle English vauntgard "the troops moving at the head of an army," from early French vantgarde, avantgarde (same meaning), derived from avant- "fore-, in front" and garde "guard"