as in first
coming before all others in time or order
the leadoff batter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to begin
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
plans to lead off the news conference with a prepared statement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of leadoff
Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 8 July 2025
The Tigers added another run off Baz in the fifth when Colt Keith led off with a double and scored on a two-out single by Riley Greene.
—Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 July 2025
The airmen from the 124th Fighter Wing were led off the plane by Technical Sgt.
—Idaho Statesman, 8 July 2025
Kyle Stowers led off with his team-leading 16th home run — a 406-foot blast into the right-field seats off Brewers starter Chad Patrick.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for leadoff
Verb
Luis Rengifo led off the bottom of the ninth with a double, his second hit of the game.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 8 July 2025
The Tigers added another run off Baz in the fifth when Colt Keith led off with a double and scored on a two-out single by Riley Greene.
—Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 July 2025
The airmen from the 124th Fighter Wing were led off the plane by Technical Sgt.
—Idaho Statesman, 8 July 2025
Kyle Stowers led off with his team-leading 16th home run — a 406-foot blast into the right-field seats off Brewers starter Chad Patrick.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for leadoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leadoff
Adjective
-
This is the first time the river has been opened to swimmers since 1923, Reuters reported.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
-
Now, for the first time, researchers from the University of Houston have unearthed a royal tomb in Caracol.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
When the second half begins the Red Sox (53-45) will sit just one game back of the Yankees for the top spot in the AL Wild Card standings.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
13 July 2025
-
Tim Hortons began as a single location in Canada in 1964.—
Andy Humbles,
The Tennessean,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
Phishing Email Detection And Response Phishing remains the most common initial attack vector.—
Karan Alang,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Markle launched the As Ever brand, a reconfiguration of her initial American Riviera Orchard label, in February.—
Renan Botelho,
Footwear News,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
Search efforts continued through about 1 a.m. Thursday and commenced at first light.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
-
While Merck has built a solid pipeline and commenced new product launches, the timeline remains tight and the revenue gap significant.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The banner’s inaugural project, Magic City: An American Fantasy, will debut on Starz.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
9 July 2025
-
Technology, sustainability and the power of human connection were at the center of a lively debate on the future of travel at Newsweek's inaugural New Destinations Travel & Tourism Summit last week.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
He’s set to start the All-Star Game in right field on Tuesday night.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
15 July 2025
-
The two got married, had a baby, and started a quiet life together far away from his violent past.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
The meet features 64 stakes races, including 18 Grade 1s, and is packed with deep maiden special weights, competitive allowance races, and hard-to-predict turf contests.—
Jared Welch,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
The 33-year-old, who has had an impressive season in her maiden National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) campaign — a move we have been told was encouraged by Bonadei himself — was an important member of the leadership group.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
The current lineup of Jay & The Americans has one original member, 82-year-old harmony vocalist Sandy Deane Yaguda.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 July 2025
-
For example, at the start of this week, my favorite cheap laptop, the Vivobook 14 (Snapdragon X) was on sale for just $550—that's $200 off the original price and $100 off the previous lowest price.—
Luke Larsen,
Wired News,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leadoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leadoff. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share