front runner

American  

Or front-runner,

noun

1. a person who leads in any competition.

2. an entrant in a race who breaks to the front immediately and establishes the pace for the field.

3. an entrant in a race who performs well only when ahead of the field.

---

Etymology

Origin of front runner

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Explanation

In politics, a front-runner is the candidate considered most likely to win an election. If you promise free candy for everyone if you're elected student body president, you may find yourself being the front-runner! The front-runner is in first place, whether in a literal running race or a political contest. Journalists and pollsters primarily decide who is or is not a front-runner, and that number one position usually shifts throughout a presidential election season. The word was originally used in horse racing to describe a horse that runs at its fastest speed while it's in the lead. It first appeared in American politics in 1908, and it has a primarily political meaning today.

Example Sentences

Paramount had initially been viewed as a front runner in the deal given the close ties Ellison and his father, Oracle Corp.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 8, 2025

Paramount had initially been viewed as a front runner in the deal given the close ties its CEO, David Ellison, and his father, Oracle Corp.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 8, 2025

Fellow FX series “Shōgun” has long been considered the front runner in the drama categories.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 13, 2024

Ex-home secretary Suella Braverman, who was initially seen by many as a front runner in the race, did not enter the race after many of her key allies joined Mr Jenrick's campaign.

From BBC • Jul. 29, 2024

Twice champion of the USSR, he’d won the 1958 Portorož Interzonal, becoming a front runner to play the incumbent titleholder, Mikhail Botvinnik, for the World Championship in 1960.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady