leads off

present tense third-person singular of lead off

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 leads off Ohtani typically leads off but was dropped lower while struggling with injuries to his left knee and right biceps over the last few months that have prevented the two-way star from pitching since early July. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 Baldwin leads off, and consistently sets the table for his teammates. — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Deist leads off, followed by Battista and Tucker, with Devin Wheaton at cleanup. — Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2026 Vestal leads off with a single. — Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026 After pitchers, catchers and several position players completed their physicals Wednesday, no storyline from the opening day of camp carried more weight than the one that leads off our first takeaways report from Yankees spring training. — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026 As usual, the list of evils leads off with a medical procedure that is never directly condemned in the Bible — and is arguably even sanctioned in Jewish texts when a pregnancy threatens a woman’s health. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026 Every Wednesday, Reid leads off the weekly news conference. — Sam McDowell 18, Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025 Alex Bregman #2 of the Boston Red Sox leads off second base during the first inning of a game against the New York Yankees on September 14, 2025 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. — Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leads off
Verb
  • The Heat now heads out West for a five-game trip that begins Monday against the Lakers in Los Angeles.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The new offering is designed to help teams, leagues, owners and developers answer questions before design begins, from fan experience and revenue strategy to sponsorships, naming rights and destination development.
    — Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Or to be up high and see that, down below, a town is just a grid spread out on a map and nothing more, a grid that flickers with lights that spark on as the darkness commences.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The process, in other words, commences with the industrial production of miniature supernovas.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The 5-foot-9 Everette also starts at safety, but wide receiver is his true calling card.
    — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Breaking the pattern starts with recognizing some of the most common procrastination traps.
    — Alexandra Tirado Oropeza, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • That again, opens a door to our culture that makes content more accessible.
    — Nada Aboul Kheir, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Every episode opens with a hook designed to create immediate emotional investment, such as a cliffhanger, a conflict or a reveal.
    — Phoena Pang, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leads off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leads%20off. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster