bellwether

American  

[bel-weth-er] / ˈbɛlˌwɛð ər /

noun

• bellwethers
  plural

1. a wether or other male sheep that leads the flock, usually bearing a bell.

2. a person or thing that assumes the leadership or forefront, as of a profession or industry.

   Paris is a bellwether of the fashion industry.

   Synonyms:

   trailblazer, front runner, pacesetter, leader

3. a person or thing that shows the existence or direction of a trend; index.

4. a person who leads a mob, mutiny, conspiracy, or the like; ringleader.

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bellwether British  

/ ˈbɛlˌwɛðə /

noun

1. a sheep that leads the herd, often bearing a bell

2. a leader, esp one followed unquestioningly

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bellwethers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of bellwether

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at bell ¹, wether

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Explanation

Use the word bellwether to indicate someone or something that takes the lead in a group or movement. Literally, a bellwether is a sheep (often wearing a bell) that leads a herd. Unless you herd sheep, you probably don't see many bellwethers that say "Baaa." That's the origin of this word, but there are many other types of bellwethers who lead the way in different areas. Apple was a bellwether in technology. Rosa Parks was a bellwether in civil rights. And, during election season, those "bellwether states" are the ones where the primaries seem to predict the outcome of a party's nomination.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bellwether bellwethers

Thompson pointed out that some bellwether healthcare names, like Eli Lilly, were trading near their highest levels in a year, a promising sign that healthcare stocks could continue to climb.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

CoreWeave stock is a bellwether for investor sentiment about the broader artificial-intelligence investment boom.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

For more than 125 years, the Buckeye State has served as the nation’s bellwether.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

The closely watched national security case was seen as a bellwether for freedom of expression in the Chinese city.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

And the whole nine of us obligingly trudged after him like sheep after the bellwether, and reëntered the castle.

From The Adventures of the Eleven Cuff-Buttons Being one of the exciting episodes in the career of the famous detective Hemlock Holmes, as recorded by his friend Dr. Watson by James Francis Thierry

However, the wins may not be true bellwethers.

From Salon ● Feb. 23, 2026

Magnificent Seven members Apple, Microsoft, Meta and Tesla are due this week, with other bellwethers including Texas Instruments, Boeing and Mastercard providing an idea about the state of the economy.

From Barron's ● Jan. 27, 2026

The Producers Guild Awards are considered one of the most reliable bellwethers in the Oscar race because their preferential ballot closely mirrors the academy’s best picture voting system.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2026

Airline, trucking and railroad stocks are considered market bellwethers, given their vital roles in moving goods and raw materials that power the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 15, 2025

The human animal being apt to run after bellwethers, it may be looked upon as natural that this strange conduct of a respectable matron was speedily imitated by the girls.

From My Lords of Strogue, Vol. II (of III) A Chronicle of Ireland, from the Convention to the Union by Lewis Wingfield

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