in the lead

idiom

1
: in a position that is ahead of others
They walked single file, with the oldest boy in the lead.
2
: winning in a race or competition
Our team was in the lead.

Examples of in the lead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the end, it's all guess work as to who's in the lead during a conclave. Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025 The Hollywood Reporter reported last month that Universal landed a pitch for the sci-fi feature The Natural Order that has Barry Jenkins in talks to direct Powell in the lead. Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2025 The Velma to Graham’s Roxie, Welsh actor Sophie Carmen-Jones, advised Graham not to go to loud bars in the lead up. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025 Because firearms suddenly increase in availability and access in the lead up to hunting season, a similar opportunity occurs to study what happens with firearm incidents—both hunting and non-hunting related. Time, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for in the lead

Cite this Entry

“In the lead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20lead. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!