noun
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a leader or pioneer in a particular field
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a person who blazes a trail
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Nouns
Etymology
Origin of trailblazer
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How does trailblazer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A trailblazer is a person who's the first to do something, whether it's marking a new path through the woods or discovering a cure for cancer. A literal trailblazer blazes, or marks, trails in the wilderness. She does this by making marks or signs on trees and rocks at regular distances along a trail in order to help other hikers find their way. Figurative trailblazers can also be called pioneers or groundbreakers. These are innovators who make strides in fields like science, medicine, or education.
Vocabulary lists containing trailblazer
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"In Defense of a Liberal Education" by Fareed Zakaria
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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.
See Examples For:
“He was brilliant but mischievous,” Hoffs says of the late trailblazer, on whom she modeled the character of Jonesy from her novel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
The martial arts star was a trailblazer, allowing Asian Americans to see themselves represented in a strong, positive light on-screen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
UFC fighter Angela Hill has packed plenty into her 41 years, but the veteran trailblazer from the United States is not done yet.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
According to legend, it took rough and rugged characters to tame the early American frontier: men like Daniel Boone, the trailblazer, or Mike Fink, the brawling river boatman.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
Some people thought Izzy dressed "weird," but I thought she was a trailblazer.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
Amid the uncertainty, longevity doctors view themselves—and their patients—as trailblazers.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
"This exhibition not only honours his legacy but also reconnects Birmingham with one of its most significant cultural trailblazers," said Melanie Williams, from Colmore.
From BBC ● May 17, 2026
"We've had trailblazers in the past and the bar is higher now," he said.
From BBC ● Mar. 20, 2026
These experiments, and other trailblazers in the field, are still far from restoring full capability to patients who have lost the ability to talk or walk.
From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2025
This new initiative would be composed of American trailblazers in women’s sports who embody and support the secretary and department’s efforts to empower women and girls globally through sport.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
