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
Hi Hospitality proprietor Natalia Levey and her husband Mark are spearheading the project.
—
Helen Freund, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
After spearheading the sale of Welk Music Group in 2015 for tens of millions of dollars to Concord Music, Welk orchestrated the sale of Welk Resorts in a blockbuster deal for nearly $430 million in 2021 to Marriott.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Kate Ridley, a former Adidas and Allbirds executive who joined Stanley 1913 as chief brand officer last year, is spearheading the introduction of the Vitalize Collection, which launches Tuesday.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
James Gambhir has held senior leadership roles at BMO Financial Group, RBC Capital Markets, and Scotiabank Global Banking & Markets, spearheading large-scale modernization programs and delivering operational efficiencies in partnership with executive teams.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 15 Feb. 2026
This audit aims to do just that, said Jared Rodriguez, executive director of the Childcare Providers Association of Michigan, a child care industry trade group that's spearheading the audit.
—Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Tech leaders such as Nvidia are spearheading an artificial intelligence boom that has caused market cap values to rocket higher.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
In baseball, Hill led Orange Coast to the 1980 state championship under Mayne and was drafted and signed by the A’s in 1981 after spearheading Arizona State to the NCAA national championship.
—Richard Dunn, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
Peter Long, whose great-grandparents were the first caretakers of the land, is part of the current generation spearheading this movement toward ranch sustainability and inclusion.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Feb. 2026
Helen Freund, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
After spearheading the sale of Welk Music Group in 2015 for tens of millions of dollars to Concord Music, Welk orchestrated the sale of Welk Resorts in a blockbuster deal for nearly $430 million in 2021 to Marriott.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Kate Ridley, a former Adidas and Allbirds executive who joined Stanley 1913 as chief brand officer last year, is spearheading the introduction of the Vitalize Collection, which launches Tuesday.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
James Gambhir has held senior leadership roles at BMO Financial Group, RBC Capital Markets, and Scotiabank Global Banking & Markets, spearheading large-scale modernization programs and delivering operational efficiencies in partnership with executive teams.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 15 Feb. 2026
This audit aims to do just that, said Jared Rodriguez, executive director of the Childcare Providers Association of Michigan, a child care industry trade group that's spearheading the audit.
—Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Tech leaders such as Nvidia are spearheading an artificial intelligence boom that has caused market cap values to rocket higher.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
In baseball, Hill led Orange Coast to the 1980 state championship under Mayne and was drafted and signed by the A’s in 1981 after spearheading Arizona State to the NCAA national championship.
—Richard Dunn, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
Peter Long, whose great-grandparents were the first caretakers of the land, is part of the current generation spearheading this movement toward ranch sustainability and inclusion.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spearheading
Verb
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Too many candidates, Biden wrote, had faltered early in the small, relatively nondiverse states that voted first (traditionally, New Hampshire and Iowa), leading them to drop out.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
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Israel hits Lebanon, orders people to leave villages Roads in southern Lebanon and leading out of Beirut’s southern suburbs were gridlocked early Monday with people fleeing after Israel launched a barrage of strikes in retaliation for missiles launched across the border by Hezbollah.—
BRIAN MELLEY,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On some of the biggest stages in the world, artists like Alex Warren and Addison Rae showcased how creators who once built their audiences online are now commanding mainstream attention.—
Becca Brazil,
Rolling Stone,
27 Feb. 2026
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In the Cold War’s final phase, CIA officer John Stockwell went from commanding the Agency’s clandestine intervention in Angola to becoming his country’s foremost critic of covert operations.—
Alfred McCoy,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spearheading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spearheading. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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