noun
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a leader or pioneer in a particular field
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a person who blazes a trail
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of trailblazer
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Explanation
A trailblazer is a person who's the first to do something, whether it's marking a new path through the woods or discovering a cure for cancer. A literal trailblazer blazes, or marks, trails in the wilderness. She does this by making marks or signs on trees and rocks at regular distances along a trail in order to help other hikers find their way. Figurative trailblazers can also be called pioneers or groundbreakers. These are innovators who make strides in fields like science, medicine, or education.
Vocabulary lists containing trailblazer
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"In Defense of a Liberal Education" by Fareed Zakaria
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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.
King became a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ and women’s civil rights and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 in part for her advocacy for equality.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
In the all-Chinese second-round match between China's first world champion Zhao Xintong and the country's long-time trailblazer Ding Junhui, Zhao holds a two-frame lead at 9-7, needing four more more victory.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
Maria Semple, the bestselling author and TV comedy trailblazer, goes to a downtown Manhattan wellness spot for a cold plunge every day.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
Gina Carano is a trailblazer in women’s mixed martial arts.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026
But Liszt was a trailblazer, an experimenter, a pacesetter.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
