leading 1 of 2

adjective

ˈlē-diŋ How to pronounce leading (audio)
Definition of leadingnext
1
as in main
coming before all others in importance they are the leading suppliers of processed meat in the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in commanding
highest in rank or authority served as the leading counsel on the defendant's legal team

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

leading

2 of 2

verb

present participle of lead
1
as in guiding
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front an enthusiastic docent led our group through the art museum

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in heading
to serve as leader of a senior programmer is leading the team that is developing the new accounting software

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in accompanying
to be at the front of the local high school's marching band led the parade

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in extending
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction this old road leads to an abandoned quarry

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5
as in showing
to give advice and instruction to (someone) regarding the course or process to be followed the salesclerk led us through the maze of options now available to television buyers

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Example Sentences

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 leading
Adjective
This is especially important — breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among American women. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 15 Oct. 2026 Last week, the militia took a leading role in an operation to retake the strategically vital Red Sea port of Mocha, captured by the Houthis last month. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
Lamont is leading in multiple public polls by a double-digit margin, but Fazio has questioned the polls and said the race is much tighter in the single digits. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026 That will feature two of the top players in the country, with Watkins and Hidalgo leading their teams. — Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leading
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leading
  1. main
  2. commanding
  3. guiding
  4. heading
  5. accompanying
  6. extending
  7. showing
  8. primary
Adjective
  • His main instinct is to pull out a wad of bills and fling it in their faces.
    — Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Early Friday, a drone carrying four missiles destroyed the transformers at Shendi’s main substation, the local security committee said.
    — Hamza Fahmy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • As a young teenager, I was immediately captivated by his commanding presence and charisma portraying King Leodegrance of Cameliard — Queen Guinevere’s noble father and a cunning warrior.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Wembanyama, for his part, is eager to become a more commanding voice on the defensive end.
    — Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of commanding
Verb
  • She is being charged with guiding HP through the challenges of the memory shortage.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Part of guiding its own path means being aware of the overall landscape, the CEO said.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of guiding
Verb
  • Room for Disagreement Duke, the editor-in-chief, argues the publication reflects where younger American media consumers are heading.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Cramer said falling interest rates could provide an additional boost to apparel companies heading into the holiday shopping season.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of heading
Verb
  • Organizers said accompanying information will identify each material’s development stage using Technology Readiness Levels, helping visitors distinguish early prototypes from products already available for commercial use.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The team set out to develop a method for creating connection points along tiny insulated wires right where each accompanying microchip would need them.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of accompanying
Verb
  • Assemblyman Nick Schultz floated the idea of extending the expiration date of the state program, which is currently set to sunset in 2030, as a way of offering greater certainty to productions.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
  • That makes proposals such as extending the sales tax to more services or taxing retirement income, both of which Pritzker has repeatedly rejected, politically unpalatable.
    — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of extending
Verb
  • But Kansans also elected a moderate Democrat to the governor's office, then reelected her in that same time period, showing the state is not a Republican stronghold at all levels.
    — Grace Hills, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Supporters at Roy’s watch party at the downtown Audio Graph brewery erupted in cheers when the first batch of results dropped, showing Roy doubling up McKinney’s early vote total.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of showing
Adjective
  • The Heat used Larsson, Portis, Hardaway and Nikola Jovic as its four primary reserves for the third straight game to start the season.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • One thing most agree on is that the diminishment of competitive seats leads to greater polarization because legislators are only beholden to primary voters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of primary

Phrases Containing leading

Browse Nearby Words

lead-in
leading
leading edge
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Cite this Entry

“Leading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leading. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on leading

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about leading

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