leading man

noun

: an actor who plays the leading male role

Examples of leading man in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Bell rushed to persuade Braeden to sign a contract and reworked the character of Victor into a leading man. Eva Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2024 Meet the Swedish Royals: A Guide to Sweden's Royal Family Tree Prince Carl Philip has also drawn comparisons to Hollywood stars like Fifty Shades of Grey leading man Jamie Dornan and Superman actor Henry Cavill. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for leading man 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leading man.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leading man was in 1827

Dictionary Entries Near leading man

Cite this Entry

“Leading man.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20man. Accessed 4 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

leading man

noun
: an actor who plays the leading male role in a play or movie

More from Merriam-Webster on leading man

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