as in led
to serve as leader of
unofficially at least, Martin Luther King spearheaded the civil rights movement
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Recent Examples of spearheaded
The McMillan Plan of 1902, named after the senator who spearheaded it, laid out a comprehensive vision for the monumental core and park system of the nation's capitol.
—
Rachel Treisman, NPR, 4 June 2026
Macy's is about two years into a three-year turnaround that Spring has spearheaded since taking over as the retailer's chief executive.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Directed by fan and historian Questlove, this examination of the roots of the iconic funk-pop-R&B-jazz outfit spearheaded by the mercurial Maurice White is a study in how legends are built and how legacy prevails.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 3 June 2026
That 114-89 win at Madison Square Garden was spearheaded by Bridges’ 25 points, five made 3s and five steals.
—Esfandiar Baraheni, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Hussein spearheaded that push by scoring in five of his team’s 10 qualifying matches, including the game-winner against Bolivia in the intercontinental playoff final.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 2 June 2026
The literary affairs team, led by Clare Reeth, spearheaded efforts to land rights to the book.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 1 June 2026
Plans for a 250th celebration have been in the works for more than a decade, spearheaded by a bipartisan group called America 250.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
The initiative is spearheaded by Easterseals Disability Services and leaders from the disability community, with Film Independent serving as co-producer.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 28 May 2026
Rachel Treisman, NPR, 4 June 2026
Macy's is about two years into a three-year turnaround that Spring has spearheaded since taking over as the retailer's chief executive.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Directed by fan and historian Questlove, this examination of the roots of the iconic funk-pop-R&B-jazz outfit spearheaded by the mercurial Maurice White is a study in how legends are built and how legacy prevails.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 3 June 2026
That 114-89 win at Madison Square Garden was spearheaded by Bridges’ 25 points, five made 3s and five steals.
—Esfandiar Baraheni, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Hussein spearheaded that push by scoring in five of his team’s 10 qualifying matches, including the game-winner against Bolivia in the intercontinental playoff final.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 2 June 2026
The literary affairs team, led by Clare Reeth, spearheaded efforts to land rights to the book.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 1 June 2026
Plans for a 250th celebration have been in the works for more than a decade, spearheaded by a bipartisan group called America 250.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
The initiative is spearheaded by Easterseals Disability Services and leaders from the disability community, with Film Independent serving as co-producer.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spearheaded
Verb
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Phelan warns Paxton could cost Republicans the state Former Speaker Dade Phelan led the House during the Paxton impeachment.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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With its overall Life in Balance philosophy, Miraval Resorts and Spas has led the way in recognizing just how valuable and restorative a true connection with other humans and the natural environment can be.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The newsmagazine generated between $67 million and $69 million in advertising revenue in both 2024 and 2025 according to data from iSpot, and commanded the 11th biggest haul of ad dollars of any show on CBS last year.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
1 June 2026
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That reflects both the enormous valuations that software startups commanded during the 2021 venture boom and the degree to which generative AI has destabilized assumptions underpinning the sector.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spearheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spearheaded. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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