leading man

[ lee-ding ]

noun

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

leading man

/ ˈliːdɪŋ /

noun

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

Derived Forms

• leading lady, noun:feminine

Word History and Origins

Origin of leading man¹

First recorded in 1695–1705

Example Sentences

It’s truly a feat of moviemaking that this film soared so high, despite being weighed down by a sentient, charmless sack of potatoes as its leading man.

From Vox

The short-lived, late-’80s era of Timothy Dalton was rougher around the edges, in keeping with what critic Keith Phipps recently termed “a leading man who sometimes looks as if he’s in the midst of a final exam for which he hasn’t studied enough.”

From Vox

Meanwhile, Affleck’s “Sexiest Man Alive” status was understood to be a mark in his favor, a sign of his leading man chops — up until the makeover.

From Vox

However — and wherever — you choose to watch this season’s biggest movies, these leading men promise to make them worth every second.

From Essence.com

Watch your back Liam Neeson, here comes Kevin Costner to steal your older-leading-man thunder!

From The Daily Beast

There was a recent piece titled, “Is Idris Elba a Hollywood Leading Man Yet?”

From The Daily Beast

So it leads you to question: “What is a leading man these days?”

From The Daily Beast

CAPOTE (2005) This is the role that propelled Hoffman from ace character actor to leading man.

From The Daily Beast

The leading-man roles followed in the back-to-back 2012 blockbusters John Carter and Battleship.

From The Daily Beast

But the climax was reached at Mrs. Charmington's great scene with her leading man, at the conclusion of the third act.

From Project Gutenberg

He is a red republican, a leading man among the Jacobins, hand in glove with all who hate aristocrats.

From Project Gutenberg

For nearly two years he was the leading man in France, and he retained his influence in the Assembly to the end.

From Project Gutenberg

When he first came to work for me at the age of fifteen, I believed that he was destined to be a leading man.

From Project Gutenberg

Now that you have won a national fame, you will always be looked upon as the leading man of the Northwest.

From Project Gutenberg