1
as in vanguards
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 forefronts
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 vans
Here, to avoid drawing attention, interrogators and guards dressed as civilians, uniformed personnel were prohibited and unmarked vans and other regular vehicles moved prisoners in and out.
—
Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
The address is for MobilityWorks, which provides wheelchair accessible vans.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2025
That includes the 95 million workers and 3 million small businesses that depend on trucks, vans, and other commercial vehicles, like those made by his Ford Pro division.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
By the entry, vans with tinted windows pulled in to deliver more detainees.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
The security footage from the ICE facility on Stemmons Freeway, obtained by KDFW-TV, shows two white vans in the building’s sallyport.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025
The video shows agents ducking for cover in front of two white vans while quickly shuffling detainees inside the facility, where an ICE agent frantically guided the detainees down a hallway.
—Peter D'abrosca , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The surveillance video shows officers and detainees ducking for cover near two vans in the facility's sallyport.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2025
The driver ultimately came to a stop at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Franklin Street in Buena Park, with various law enforcement vehicles, including some undercover vans, boxing the truck in place.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
The address is for MobilityWorks, which provides wheelchair accessible vans.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2025
That includes the 95 million workers and 3 million small businesses that depend on trucks, vans, and other commercial vehicles, like those made by his Ford Pro division.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
By the entry, vans with tinted windows pulled in to deliver more detainees.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
The security footage from the ICE facility on Stemmons Freeway, obtained by KDFW-TV, shows two white vans in the building’s sallyport.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Sep. 2025
The video shows agents ducking for cover in front of two white vans while quickly shuffling detainees inside the facility, where an ICE agent frantically guided the detainees down a hallway.
—Peter D'abrosca , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The surveillance video shows officers and detainees ducking for cover near two vans in the facility's sallyport.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2025
The driver ultimately came to a stop at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Franklin Street in Buena Park, with various law enforcement vehicles, including some undercover vans, boxing the truck in place.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vans
Noun
-
He’s so far collaborated with acts like Ecco2k and Xaviersobased, themselves vanguards of the underground-rap scene.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Overburdened infantrymen who had been on the front lines for months, some since the Normandy landings, remained there for weeks and months on end.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Xipaia herself is at the front lines of the battle to preserve the Amazon, all while facing multiple assassination attempts, as well as impending motherhood.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vans. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share