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
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
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.
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Recent Examples of leading
Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026
The 22-year-old has been mentored by Sparks All-Star and leading scorer Kelsey Plum.
—John Davis, Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
The gunman was fatally shot by officers after carjacking a vehicle and leading police on a chase into the next parish, said Shreveport Police Cpl.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for leading
Adjective
Ginger the beaver made a dam good leading lady.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026
The 22-year-old has been mentored by Sparks All-Star and leading scorer Kelsey Plum.
—John Davis, Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Lakers were connected, apparently having had time to adjust to the loss of their two leading scorers, LeBron James acting as a brilliant playmaker for scorching hot shooters like Kennard, who hit all five of his treys in scoring a career playoff-high 27 points.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
The gunman was fatally shot by officers after carjacking a vehicle and leading police on a chase into the next parish, said Shreveport Police Cpl.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for leading
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leading
Adjective
-
Three main risks should worry Congress, the courts and every American about the rapid rise of these markets.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Surges can sometimes indicate an underlying wiring issue or a problem with your main breaker.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
When nominations for the 2026 ACM Awards were announced earlier this month, the commanding storyline was the dominance by women as nominees.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Peck joined the Blue Angels after serving as the commanding officer for the Fighting Checkmates of VFA-211.—
Rashad Alexander,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
According to the tourism board, the site is also home to a lighthouse, which has been guiding vessels along the Portuguese coast since 1772.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The auto conglomerate, which owns a three-fourths stake in Porsche, acquired the French hypercar maker in 1998 and has played a crucial role in establishing and guiding its modern identity.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mike Florio and Chris Simms discuss some of the top storylines heading into the 2026 NFL draft.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Secondly, shortly after this poultry product made its way onto the ice, the Oilers would give up two late goals in the third period to give Anaheim the win and a 1-1 series split heading back to Southern California.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The tribute program accompanying Yakusho’s award comprised seven films personally approved by the actor, with the festival noting that his participation marked a highlight in the event’s 28-year history.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The grounds' accompanying train station and gardens were reportedly modeled after the entrance to Disneyland's Magic Kingdom.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The plan, conveyed through mediators in Pakistan to break a stalemate with Washington, calls for extending the ceasefire so the parties can work toward a permanent end to the fighting, Axios said.—
Jon Herskovitz,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Vargas then homered to left field, extending the lead to 8-5.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The team wanted to keep Phillips and even engaged in conversations with Trey Hendrickson, showing the desire for a high-level edge rusher to join Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith in the top three.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Cops also felt hot on the trail after a driver shared footage showing Neukgu trotting alongside a mountain road.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Sacramento Steps Forward has been the lead agency since 2011.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Death by Lightning is nominated for best limited or anthology series, two nominations for lead performance in a limited or anthology series (Matthew Macfadyen and Michael Shannon) and supporting performance in a limited series (Nick Offerman).—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leading. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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