leadoff
Americannoun
-
an act that starts something; start; beginning.
-
Baseball. the player who is first in the batting order or who is first to bat for a team in an inning.
Etymology
Origin of leadoff
First recorded in 1890–95; noun 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.
Hernández and Edman — hitting leadoff in place of Shohei Ohtani, who got the day off while dealing with a nagging biceps problem — were the only Dodgers with hits Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Tommy Edman was penciled into the leadoff spot and will play center field, while Alex Call will be the designated hitter and bat eighth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
He gave up four hits and three runs in that inning, but only one of those hits, Drake Baldwin’s leadoff single, was hit hard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Why does manager Dave Roberts still bat Shohei Ohtani leadoff?
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
I’m always pumped before the first pitch of a game, especially when I’m batting leadoff and especially when it’s the first game of a doubleheader.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
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.
