vanguard
Americannoun
-
the foremost division or the front part of an army; advance guard; van.
-
the forefront in any movement, field, activity, or the like.
-
the leaders of any intellectual or political movement.
-
(initial capital letter) a U.S. three-stage, satellite-launching rocket, the first two stages powered by liquid-propellant engines and the third by a solid-propellant engine.
noun
-
the leading division or units of a military force
-
the leading position in any movement or field, or the people who occupy such a position
the vanguard of modern literature
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of vanguard
First recorded in 1480–90; earlier van(d)gard(e), from Middle French avangarde, variant of avant-garde; see avaunt, guard
Explanation
If you are in the vanguard, you're up front. It could be that you are in the vanguard of an advancing army, or in the vanguard of any movement, trend, or occupation. Vanguard is an old variation of the French word avant-garde meaning "fore-guard" or "front guard." Vanguard and avant-garde have the same basic meaning, but avant-garde generally describes artistic endeavors, while vanguard can be more widely applied. You might talk about the vanguard of fashion on the red carpet, the vanguard of medical research at a university, or the vanguard of a political movement at a demonstration.
Vocabulary lists containing vanguard
This Week in Pop Culture: August 10–16, 2019
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "V"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Hobbit
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In the vanguard of the latest bull stampede is the semiconductor sector, which is due to get another lift Friday as Intel shares see a big post-earnings-report pop.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026
If they are the vanguard of a sentient nonhuman enemy, we don’t have much to fear yet.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
"In being the industry's vanguard we have taken a lot of bullets in a battle which is only in the early days of paying off for ourselves and all developers," Sweeney said.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
Scott Hammond, Spaceport chief executive, said the contract strengthened the site's position "at the vanguard of UK vertical space launch".
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
Given that Russia was at this point at the very vanguard of modernism it was a bitter pill to swallow, and understandably so.
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.
