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Synonyms

leading

1 American  
[lee-ding] / ˈli dɪŋ /

adjective

  1. chief; principal; most important; foremost.

    a leading toy manufacturer.

  2. coming in advance of others; first.

    We rode in the leading car.

  3. directing, guiding.

    Synonyms:
    ruling

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that leads.

leading 2 American  
[led-ing] / ˈlɛd ɪŋ /

noun

  1. a covering or framing of lead.

    the leading of a stained-glass window.

  2. Printing. lead.

leading 1 British  
/ ˈliːdɪŋ /

adjective

  1. guiding, directing, or influencing

  2. (prenominal) principal or primary

  3. in the first position

    the leading car in the procession

  4. 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
"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
leading 2 British  
/ ˈlɛdɪŋ /

noun

  1. Also called: interlinear spacing.  printing the spacing between lines of photocomposed or digitized type

"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

Other Word Forms

  • leadingly adverb

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

First recorded in 1400–50; lead 2 + -ing 1

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 a message posted on his Instagram account on Friday, the 25-year-old Giacomel recounted what happened to him during that day's mass start race where he was leading after the second round of shooting.

From Barron's

A winter storm caused widespread travel chaos in the Northeast, leading to 6,163 flight cancellations and 21,000 delays on Monday.

From Barron's

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and diabetes are leading contributors of stroke, and 1 in 3 U.S. adults has at least one of these conditions or risk factors, according to the CDC.

From MarketWatch

However, the company posted in January sluggish sales growth for the key holiday quarter, leading to caution among investors.

From The Wall Street Journal

The population of the Democratic Republic of Congo is projected to triple by 2050, increasing demand for farmland and leading to further forest clearing.

From Science Daily

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.