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Synonyms

trailblazer

American  
[treyl-bley-zer] / ˈtreɪlˌbleɪ zər /

noun

  1. a person who blazes blaze a trail for others to follow through unsettled country or wilderness; pathfinder.

  2. a pioneer in any field of endeavor.

    a trailblazer in science.
trailblazer British  
/ ˈtreɪlˌbleɪzə /

noun

  1. a leader or pioneer in a particular field

  2. a person who blazes a trail

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • trailblazing adjective

Etymology

Origin of trailblazer

First recorded in 1905–10; trail + blaze 2 + -er 1

Compare meaning

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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.

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

And yet, one is being hailed a trailblazer, while the other is deemed a traitor.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

OpenAI, the trailblazer for modern AI and the world’s most valuable startup, has committed to $1.4 trillion of infrastructure spending in the coming years.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 24, 2026

As a matter of fact, she didn't even wait for Whit to answer and instead saved herself the frustration by being the trailblazer for the rest of us and getting in position.

From "Patina" by Jason Reynolds

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.