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

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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.

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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

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leading ² British  

/ ˈlɛdɪŋ /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived 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

She was also the first woman to serve as a big-league general manager, leading the Miami Marlins from 2020 through the 2023 season.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Rooney is United's all-time leading scorer and said the decline of Rashford's Old Trafford career was sad.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Intel stock surges Monday, leading the S&P 500 amid a broader rebound in semiconductor stocks.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

Moody’s cites the company’s leading position in the videogame industry as well as its ecosystem surrounding Weixin and WeChat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

If not for Old Timothy leading the hounds astray until she and the children had nearly reached the house, they would have been at the mercy of Lord Fredrick’s wild shots.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• best
• dominant
• famous
• main
• noted
• outstanding
• popular
• preeminent
• principal
• prominent
• top
• well-known