leader
noun
lead·er
| \ ˈlē-dər
\
\
Definition of leader
1
: something that leads: such as
a
: a primary or terminal shoot of a plant
c
leaders plural
: dots or hyphens (as in an index) used to lead the eye horizontally : ellipsis sense 2
d
chiefly British
: a newspaper editorial
e(1)
: something for guiding fish into a trap
(2)
: a short length of material for attaching the end of a fishing line to a lure or hook
f
: loss leader
g
: something that ranks first
the leaders among communicable diseases
h
: a blank section at the beginning or end of a reel of film or recorded tape
2
: a person who leads: such as
b(1)
: a person who directs a military force or unit
leaders of the army
(2)
: a person who has commanding authority or influence
a leader in the reform movement
c(1)
: the principal officer of a British political party
(2)
: a party member chosen to manage party activities in a legislative body
the majority leader
(3)
: such a party member presiding over the whole legislative body when the party constitutes a majority
the leader of the House
d(1)
: conductor sense c
the orchestra's leader
(2)
: a first or principal performer of a group
The concertmaster is the leader of the violin section.
3
: a horse placed in advance of the other horses of a team
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Other Words from leader
leaderless
\ ˈlē-dər-ləs
\
adjective
\
adjective
Synonyms for leader
Synonyms
channel, conduit, duct, line, penstock, pipe, trough, tube
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Examples of leader in a Sentence
The tour leader suggested several restaurants in the area.
She was the leader for most of the race, but she eventually finished second.
The class focused on the great religious leaders of the last century.
the leader of an army
a leader of the antiwar movement
Some people are leaders, and some people are followers.
The company has become a leader in developing new technology.
the leader of a popular big band of the 1930s
The Times attacked the government in a leader today.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Polls suggest Johnson could defeat the opposition Labour leader at the ballot box. — Rob Picheta, CNN, "Boris Johnson had a torrid week. Now he's fighting to take back control," 8 Sep. 2019 What’s more, Johnson can always rely on the enduring stigma of the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. — Stephen Paduano, The New Republic, "Boris Johnson Goes for Broke," 6 Sep. 2019 Fitzgerald, the leader of the state Senate from Juneau, is heavily leaning toward announcing a run, Republican sources say. — Molly Beck, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Scott Walker hits the airwaves to promote his son Matt's potential congressional run," 6 Sep. 2019 Throughout the week, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House of Commons, was memed on Twitter after he was caught lounging during a key Brexit debate. — Savannah Behrmann, USA TODAY, "Think America’s politics are a mess? Here’s what you missed about Brexit in the U.K. this week," 6 Sep. 2019 House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg told Parliament that a vote would be held Monday on a new motion calling for an election in October. — Jill Lawless, Anchorage Daily News, "Boris Johnson’s brother quits UK government over ‘unresolvable tension’ between family and country," 5 Sep. 2019 Why would Party leaders be willing to withdraw the bill? — The Editors, National Review, "Waiting Anxiously in Hong Kong," 5 Sep. 2019 Johnson, who became prime minister in July, tried, with debatable success, to turn the phrase into a scathing insult of rival Jeremy Corbyn, the Labor Party leader. — Laura King, Los Angeles Times, "‘Chlorinated chicken’ and family feuds: the Trump administration wades again into Brexit quagmire," 5 Sep. 2019 The tradition of adding candles to the tree branches is most commonly attributed to Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation movement in the 1500s. — Country Living, "The History of the Christmas Tree Goes Back Farther Than You Might Realize," 4 Sep. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'leader.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for leader
leader
noun
English Language Learners Definition of leader
: someone who guides other people
: someone or something that is ahead of others in a race or competition
: a powerful person who controls or influences what other people do : a person who leads a group, organization, country, etc.
See the full definition for leader in the English Language Learners Dictionary
leader
noun
lead·er
| \ ˈlē-dər
\
\
Kids Definition of leader
: someone or something that leads or is able to lead
a political leader