van

1
as in vanguard
the innovators of new concepts, styles, and techniques especially in the arts an artist who was in the van of abstract expressionism

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in forefront
the leading or most important part of a movement a company that is considered by some to be in the van of the latest technology for renewable energy

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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 van The driver of the Sprinter van was hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 15 May 2025 Police officers put up a barricade at the end of the block once other news vans started showing up. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 14 May 2025 The duo created 12 campsites along the perimeter of the hop trellises that can accommodate tents, cars, and vans. Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 13 May 2025 The funky and futuristic van has peaked the interest of auto enthusiasts worldwide because of its unique design. Charles Singh, USA Today, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for van
Recent Examples of Synonyms for van
Noun
  • Palestinian elections held the following year resulted in a major win for Hamas, leading to a crisis in the fledgling PA government and a violent rift between the Islamist group and the traditional Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) vanguard of Fatah, a secular, leftist movement.
    Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
  • Those involved with the brand have described Reuss as a protector, vanguard and even spiritual leader of sorts for Cadillac.
    Michael Wayland, CNBC, 5 May 2025
Noun
  • Immigration policy being at the forefront of politics is nothing new.
    Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
  • At the forefront of this new leadership class is Stephanie Shojaee, whose role at the helm of Shoma Group is only one part of a broader story about ambition, reinvention, and modern influence.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Now throw in the fact that buying passwords on the criminal underground, be that by the way of dark web marketplaces or surface web criminal forums, is stupidly cheap.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • By downplaying riders’ fears, advocates have allowed the MTA to be framed as a lawless underground.
    David Garten, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • One of the pioneers of the English-only movement was Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa, a naturalized American who was born in Canada, to Japanese parents, in 1906.
    Graciela Mochkofsky, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
  • The Oscar-winning artist last trod the boards 10 years ago, portraying DNA pioneer scientist Rosalind Franklin in Anna Ziegler’s play Photograph 51, directed by Michael Grandage.
    Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Van.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/van. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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