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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Datafolha found Bolsonaro leading among evangelicals by 62% to 29%, while Lula led among Catholics by 52% to 42%. — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026 With the status of leading rusher Jeremy Payne up in the air, TCU will have to lean more into this offensive identity to support a defense and special teams unit playing at such an elite level. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 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
  • The kingdom partially resumed operations at its main airport on Sunday despite damage from earlier attacks, even as the Houthis threatened further strikes.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The project will also improve sewer main capacity by upsizing a parallel line.
    — Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 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
  • As a condition of his federal-court sentence, Lewton is prohibited from outfitting or guiding hunters for a full year.
    — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Fireflies flit along her path, guiding her toward the safety of her parents’ outstretched arms.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of guiding
Verb
  • New restaurants are opening in the Sacramento region this fall, from a downtown Vietnamese kitchen to a Southern California coffee chain heading to Folsom.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • What’s happening Yardzen’s report flags the Party Patio as one of eight dominant directions heading into next year.
    — Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 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
  • Earlier this month, Chinese state media released footage showing an H-6K launching a YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The briefing also covers an analysis from The Post showing that six in 10 families can’t afford the basic cost of living in the battleground districts.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 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 1 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about leading

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