Definition of bellwethernext
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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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bellwether This was a bellwether case and there have been similar verdicts in other states. Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 26 May 2026 Analysts view Nvidia as a bellwether for the stock market and the overall economy, which have both come to rely on massive spending on AI to propel continued growth. Max Zahn, ABC News, 20 May 2026 This leaves Meta standing alone as the only defendant in the June 12th trial, which is viewed as a bellwether for over 1,200 similar school district lawsuits. Bhakti Mirchandani, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026 All the mudslinging debates and the millions of dollars spent on attack ads might not matter for the six – yes, six – Democratic candidates still vying to be the top official in this bellwether blue state. Terry Collins, USA Today, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bellwether
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellwether
Noun
  • Downtown Sacramento businesses remain skeptical that the state’s July return-to-office mandate affecting roughly 95,000 employees will actually materialize, even as foot traffic sits at 85% of April 2019 levels and local leaders rethink the urban core’s heavy reliance on office space.
    Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026
  • The concerns have drawn the attention of city leaders.
    Jason Rantala, CBS News, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • William Arruda is a keynote speaker, personal branding pioneer, and Senior Contributor to Forbes.
    William Arruda, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • The whole opening of the film pays homage to those pioneers of cinema.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 20 June 2026

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“Bellwether.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellwether. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.

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