leading 1 of 2

1
2

leading

2 of 2

verb

present participle of lead
1
2
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

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
Several South Korean companies have struggled to obtain short-term visas to bring enough specialized workers to their leading-edge plants. IEEE Spectrum, 9 Oct. 2025 Intel, the once-dominant chipmaker, is in a fight for its life that requires it to aggressively move into leading-edge chips, including those optimized for AI, while drumming up the funding to float that expensive transition. Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025 This means up to 60 percent higher annual energy yields than leading vertical-axis turbines, and up to 80 percent less mechanical stress during strong winds. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leading
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leading
Adjective
  • Howl at hootenanny Ozark Natural Science Center presents the annual Bear Hollow Hootenanny fundraiser Saturday and Sunday at the center's main campus north of Huntsville adjacent to the Madison County Wildlife Management Area.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2025
  • D’Angelo wrote, arranged, and performed almost the entire album album by himself, with some additional contributions coming from Saadiq, Q-Tip, and his main collaborator, A Tribe Called Quest’s go-to engineer Bob Power.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, Reeves became Estragon, the more simplistic and long-suffering of the duo, while Winter tackled Vladimir, the more commanding and verbose character.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Since the late 90s, Jungen has forged a name for himself internationally through his commanding sculptural practice.
    News Desk, Artforum, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Over the past two decades, the ordinances guiding the Office of the Independent Monitor (OIM) have been revised multiple times to strengthen its capacity to serve the public effectively.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Once activated, an external magnet mounted on a robotic arm steers the capsule with precision, guiding it like a joystick to the target area.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After losing to the Carolina Panthers last week by a final score of 30-27, the Cowboys hold a 2-3-1 record heading into the NFC East rivalry showdown.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Center spot may be fluid Besides the health of Ball and Miller, the other question mark the Hornets faced heading into training camp at The Citadel focused on the center position.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The foldable design can be packed in the accompanying canvas bag for easy toteability, and the faux leather is water-repellent, too.
    Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • In Memphis, they've been seen accompanying local law enforcement.
    Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Its vertical setup and smart blade control reduce wear, thus extending the turbine’s life and lowering overall costs.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
  • By extending Kidd’s contract, the Mavericks have signaled their intent to build a foundation of continuity and trust as Flagg begins his professional career.
    Evan Dammarell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Shaderoom shared a video of Huston showing wounds on his face and confirming that Papoose hit him, by his account.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • In Tel Aviv, large crowds gathered in Hostage Square – the site of protest campaigns calling for the return of hostages over the past two years – to celebrate and watch large screens showing the progress of those being released.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Porter has been a lead creator before, but that was on cellar-dwelling Houston Rockets squads that became a breeding ground for poor habits.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • No, the hard-hitting quartet — featuring vocalist-guitarist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo — had arrived to perform a massive corporate gig during Saleforce’s Dreamforce conference.
    Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leading. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on leading

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!