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.
Police say they have denied permission for the gathering and all roads leading to Jantar Mantar, the main protest venue, have been closed with huge metal barricades.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
One year after hitting an all-time high, bitcoin is trading about one-third lower, leading market watchers to question what comes next for the flagship cryptocurrency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
The tight end eventually became a coach, famously leading the 1985 Chicago Bears.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Artificial intelligence's ability to find previously unknown ways to hack into computer systems is in the global spotlight, as leading labs release ever-more advanced models.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
The count was made in the Lagerstrasse, the wide avenue leading to the hospital.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
