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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Friedman thinks wistfully of his days starting Hunks with his friends and an old cargo van at the dawn of the Great Recession.
—
Kevin Williams, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2026
The penalty for those caught listening by German detector vans was deportation to a concentration camp.
—Max Hastings, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Trucks and vans, filled with bodies, arrived every few days.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
During season 2 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, which aired in 2022, the cast members were sitting in the parking lot of Heather Gay's Beauty Lab + Laser spa in a sprinter van when Jen Shah received a suspicious phone call.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for van
Kevin Williams, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2026
The penalty for those caught listening by German detector vans was deportation to a concentration camp.
—Max Hastings, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Trucks and vans, filled with bodies, arrived every few days.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
During season 2 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, which aired in 2022, the cast members were sitting in the parking lot of Heather Gay's Beauty Lab + Laser spa in a sprinter van when Jen Shah received a suspicious phone call.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for van
Recent Examples of Synonyms for van
Noun
-
In the 1950s, the Eisenhower administration decided that the transportation vanguard was off the tracks, creating — and, critically, continuously funding — the interstate highway system, fueling the world's proudest car culture.—
Jon Wertheim,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
As the old vanguard of civil rights leaders pass, who will fill the void?—
Brittany Luse,
NPR,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That puts them at the forefront of an asset class that is looking uncertain, although their overall exposure is still relatively small compared to their vast holdings.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Tournament Chairman Fred Ridley says the new addition is about providing players with best-in-class hospitality and support, keeping Augusta at the forefront of professional golf.—
Sam Crenshaw,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After conquering the internet underground, perhaps Yeat believes that stadium status is all that’s left.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2026
-
His father was forged by years of revolutionary hardship—prison, persecution, life underground—before coming to power and reportedly amassing a war chest exceeding $100 billion, built in part from properties confiscated from religious minorities who fled persecution.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Close has said that sharing a UCLA championship with Meyers Drysdale and other pioneers who paved the way for her program would be special.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In other words, the hybrid pioneer has finally grown up.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Van.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/van. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
