leading
1 Americanadjective
-
chief; principal; most important; foremost.
a leading toy manufacturer.
-
coming in advance of others; first.
We rode in the leading car.
-
directing, guiding.
- Synonyms:
- ruling
noun
adjective
-
guiding, directing, or influencing
-
(prenominal) principal or primary
-
in the first position
the leading car in the procession
-
maths (of a coefficient) associated with the term of highest degree in a polynomial containing one variable
in 5x² + 2x + 3, 5 is the leading coefficient
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of leading1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (noun); lead 1 ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; lead 1 ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun sense
Origin of leading2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“ETPs are a natural starting point, given London’s established position as a leading international ETP hub and the strong global demand for products that provide efficient exposure to markets worldwide,” said the LSE.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Director Gianfranco Rosi builds an intimate city portrait of Naples, filled with people leading bustling modern lives in the environs of an ancient catastrophe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Later on, in a highly unusual move, she’s accompanied by leading lights of the blues recording genre—Papa Charlie Jackson, Tampa Red, Blind Blake.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
The firm has been leading the aerial efforts in the Cairngorms wildfire.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
He was well aware of the danger of leading the charge.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
