leading

¹

[ lee-ding ]

adjective

1. chief; principal; most important; foremost:

   a leading toy manufacturer.

2. coming in advance of others; first:

   We rode in the leading car.

3. directing, guiding.

   Synonyms: ruling

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that leads.

leading

²

[ led-ing ]

noun

1. a covering or framing of lead:

   the leading of a stained-glass window.

2. Printing. lead ²( def 7 ).

leading

¹

/ ˈlɛdɪŋ /

noun

1. printing the spacing between lines of photocomposed or digitized type Also calledinterlinear spacing

leading

²

/ ˈliːdɪŋ /

adjective

1. guiding, directing, or influencing
2. prenominal principal or primary
3. in the first position

   the leading car in the procession

4. maths (of a coefficient) associated with the term of highest degree in a polynomial containing one variable

   in 5x² + 2x + 3, 5 is the leading coefficient

Derived Forms

• ˈleadingly, adverb

Other Words From

• leading·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of leading¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (noun); lead ¹( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses; lead ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun sense

Origin of leading²

First recorded in 1400–50; lead ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Deforestation has not played the same leading role in the fires spanning the western US and Siberia this summer, but climate change has primed both landscapes to burn.

From Vox

Those same models have Biden the favorite in all the other states he’s currently leading polls.

From Fortune

Case in point, here’s how a leading home supply retailer’s Performance TV retargeting campaign stacked up against display-only retargeting.

From Search Engine Land

It’s fully integrated into Google Analytics, so you can measure and verify your performance using the leading 3rd party analytics platform as well.

From Search Engine Land

You’ll hear from and engage with some of the industry’s leading voices.

From TechCrunch

Groups like CAIR and leading intellectuals and imams have been denouncing acts like these for years.

From The Daily Beast

He was a leading presidential contender in 1988 and 1992, but never formally entered the race.

From The Daily Beast

“Voters knew about this and seemed not to care,” said Roy Moskowitz, a leading Democratic consultant on Staten Island.

From The Daily Beast

Watch your back Liam Neeson, here comes Kevin Costner to steal your older-leading-man thunder!

From The Daily Beast

But if the goal is to maintain any hope—grim as it is— for serious negotiations leading to a two state solution.

From The Daily Beast

The Seven-score and four on the six middle Bells, the treble leading, and the tenor lying behind every change, makes good Musick.

From Project Gutenberg

She heard through the half-open door Mr. Orgreave's slippers on the tiles of the passage leading to the stairs.

From Project Gutenberg

So everybody began looking for the appearance of his story in all the leading magazines.

From Project Gutenberg

Louis was too much appalled by the two leading charges, to shew any surprise at the third.

From Project Gutenberg

But Perpignan being at the end of everywhere and leading nowhere attracts very few visitors.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• best
• dominant
• famous
• main
• noted
• outstanding
• popular
• preeminent
• principal
• prominent
• top
• well-known