leading man

American  

[lee-ding] / ˈli dɪŋ /

noun

1. an actor who plays the principal male role in a motion picture or play.

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leading man British  

/ ˈliːdɪŋ /

noun

1. a man who plays the main part in a film, play, etc

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Other Word Forms

• leading lady noun

Etymology

Origin of leading man

First recorded in 1695–1705

Example Sentences

He never realized his dream of becoming Hollywood’s first Black romantic leading man, but he helped pave the way for actors like Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

But goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo proved to be Wrexham's leading man with two superb shootout saves from Jesus and Omari Hutchinson.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

This turn has directly benefited Dokoupil, who was previously ambling around the network’s morning show before getting tapped as its evening leading man.

From Slate • Jan. 6, 2026

The outing represents a blissful break for Pulp’s leading man; it’s been a little more than two months since the group’s eighth studio effort, which debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. album charts.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 23, 2025

“Ophie! I was just telling you this story about the movie I went and saw last week. Chickadee, believe me when I tell you that the leading man was just the cat’s meow.”

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland