as in leading
to serve as leader of
unofficially at least, Martin Luther King spearheaded the civil rights movement
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Recent Examples of spearheading
Sacramento zoo board president Elizabeth Stallard is spearheading the search for a permanent solution to the zoo's small Land Park footprint.
—
Steve Large, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Spiro is one of several acts spearheading a new British invasion fronted by soulful pop girls, joining the likes of Olivia Dean and Lola Young.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
White returned to the game after that injury and finished with a team-high 34 points on 11-of-22 shooting, seven assists, five rebounds and one block, spearheading Boston’s offense after Jaylen Brown was ejected in the second quarter.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
The United Way of Connecticut is one of the policy groups spearheading the push for a child tax credit here.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
As the name suggests, Pritzker Prize-winning architect David Chipperfield is spearheading the design of the 25-story tower, combining modern Miami touches with classic European elegance.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2026
In 12 games last season, Mack, 35, had 5½ sacks and 32 tackles, playing a key role alongside Tuli Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh in spearheading the Chargers’ pass rush and softening the blow of Joey Bosa’s exit from the unit.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Petar Musa, 28, and Logan Farrington, 24, scored three times during Dallas’ season-opening win at home, spearheading a sort of physical challenge up top that LAFC has not faced yet in 2026.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
Oyster River Ecology, a nonprofit organization founded in 2022 by Damon Moore, is spearheading a project to increase oyster numbers at Eileen Reef, just east of Interstate 75 in the Manatee River.
—Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Steve Large, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Spiro is one of several acts spearheading a new British invasion fronted by soulful pop girls, joining the likes of Olivia Dean and Lola Young.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
White returned to the game after that injury and finished with a team-high 34 points on 11-of-22 shooting, seven assists, five rebounds and one block, spearheading Boston’s offense after Jaylen Brown was ejected in the second quarter.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
The United Way of Connecticut is one of the policy groups spearheading the push for a child tax credit here.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
As the name suggests, Pritzker Prize-winning architect David Chipperfield is spearheading the design of the 25-story tower, combining modern Miami touches with classic European elegance.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2026
In 12 games last season, Mack, 35, had 5½ sacks and 32 tackles, playing a key role alongside Tuli Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh in spearheading the Chargers’ pass rush and softening the blow of Joey Bosa’s exit from the unit.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Petar Musa, 28, and Logan Farrington, 24, scored three times during Dallas’ season-opening win at home, spearheading a sort of physical challenge up top that LAFC has not faced yet in 2026.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
Oyster River Ecology, a nonprofit organization founded in 2022 by Damon Moore, is spearheading a project to increase oyster numbers at Eileen Reef, just east of Interstate 75 in the Manatee River.
—Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spearheading
Verb
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Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves for his NHL-leading seventh shutout of the season, Bo Horvat scored the only goal on the first shot of the game and the Islanders moved back into a playoff spot with a 1-0 victory over the Blue Jackets on Sunday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
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The leading university has reduced classes due to the power outages and transportation shutdowns.—
MATTHEW LEE,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In total, Minnesota put up a whopping 30 points in the final 10 minutes, turning a nervy deficit into a commanding lead.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
21 Mar. 2026
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Vance continues to hold a commanding early lead in polling and retains strong support from the party’s base.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spearheading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spearheading. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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