lead-off
adjective
leading off or beginning.
lead-off
American
[leed-awf, -of]
/ ˈlidˌɔf, -ˌɒf /
adjective
lead off
British
/ liːd /
verb
noun
-
an initial move or action
-
a person or thing that begins something
lead off
Idioms
Etymology
Origin of lead-off
First recorded in 1885–90; adj. use of verb phrase lead off
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:
The four-year MLB veteran is up to 12 career lead-off homers and has three in 2026.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
It was the lead-off single to “Parade,” the full soundtrack album to Prince’s 1986 vanity lap “Under the Cherry Moon,” in which he directed and starred, and premiered months after “Kiss” became a hit.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2026
The 19-year-old Pan swam the fastest 100 in history with a time of 46.80 seconds in the lead-off leg of China’s gold medal-winning 4×100 relay team.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2024
That has worked so far, even if it meant moving a successful lead-off hitter in Thomas to second in the lineup.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 9, 2023
Every one knew it was borrowed, for he had asked about twenty of his friends during the last week whether that wouldn’t be “a showy lead-off for his cricket feast jaw?”
From The Fifth Form at Saint Dominic's A School Story by Talbot Baines Reed
If Norris can keep the lead off the line to the end of the first lap, he has a chance.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
“I pretty much have an idea who I want to lead off and who’s my starter,” Young said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
"We've always stressed to any dog owners that dogs need to be kept on the lead, off the furniture. People are very aware of other people who don't like to be around dogs."
From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2026
And that it was his at-bat to lead off the eighth — a full-count single the other way, into right field — that Roberts had to mention postgame.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026
With each group came cries of relief, relatives diving under the rope to lead off their husbands, wives, children, parents, siblings.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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.
