frontrunner

British

/ ˈfrʌntˌrʌnə /

noun

informal the leader or a favoured contestant in a race, election, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

In California’s 2018 governor’s race, Trump’s endorsement of Republican businessman John Cox helped cement him as the GOP frontrunner and led to his second place finish in the primary election.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Inside the theater, both the frontrunner films have a chance of breaking the all-time Oscar wins record -- shared at 11 between "Ben-Hur," "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King."

From Barron's • Mar. 15, 2026

One Battle is the clear frontrunner after a string of big wins at precursor ceremonies, and its director Paul Thomas Anderson is widely predicted to finally win his first Oscar for directing.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

The Directors Guild of America awarded him with its best theatrical feature accolade, all but securing his Oscar frontrunner status.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

Khamenei’s 56-year-old son Mojtaba appears to be the frontrunner to replace his father, officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023