BELLWETHER Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

bellwether

noun

ˈbel-ˈwe-t͟hər

as in leader

one that takes the lead or sets an example the state has a long history of being an early and reliable bellwether in presidential elections

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of bellwether Those screenings are a good bellwether for whether a child is struggling to see in class, said Chung with Western University. —

Kristen Hwang, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026 The recent verdict against Meta and Google is being treated as a bellwether trial, meaning, according to legal experts, it’s meant to test how thousands of similar lawsuits could play out. —

Emma Withrow, Baltimore Sun, 3 Apr. 2026 And some analysts warn that these platforms may be a bellwether for a looming crisis of trust in financial markets — or worse. —

Kelli María Korducki, thehustle.co, 3 Apr. 2026 Vigo County is used to some national attention as a bellwether, correctly voting for the presidential winner in all but two elections since 1888, but this year is different. —

Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bellwether

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellwether

Noun

The Blackhawks kept pace in the conference standings with Riverside-Brookfield and Glenbard East, with all three teams trailing league leader South Elgin by one game.

— Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
As the eldest brother in the band, Alan was often seen as its de facto leader.

— Ellise Shafer, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026