pioneering
Americanadjective
-
being a pioneer, one of the first to settle a region, thus opening it for occupation and development by others.
This early pioneering family helped open up western Victoria in Australia.
-
being among the first in any field of inquiry or activity; being among those spearheading an initiative of some kind.
Ours is a pioneering institution, continually advancing the understanding of medicine through groundbreaking research.
-
Ecology. (of an organism) successfully establishing itself in a barren area, thus starting an ecological cycle of life.
Pioneering species can initiate recovery on drastically disturbed sites like that of the former gas plant.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pioneering
First recorded in 1700–10; pioneer ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; pioneer ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun sense
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.
Sway Dasafo, a pioneering British Ghanaian rapper known for his lyric storytelling and championing of British music, has died.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
The crater was officially named McGetchin in honor of pioneering lunar scientist Tom McGetchin.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
Beijing has poured billions into the industry as part of its self-sufficiency drive and sought to attract legions of scientists working overseas to do pioneering research in Chinese labs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
A pioneering urologist at the University of Chicago, Lyon worked with an estate attorney to divide his $1.2 million retirement account equally among his 36 grandchildren through separate trusts.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
Made up of archaeologists and divers from France, England, and the United States, this multinational group included Frederic Dumas, on loan from Jacques Cousteau’s team of divers, and the pioneering archaeologist Honor Frost.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
