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
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Recent Examples of leadoff
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2025
Taylor led off the seventh with a home run, giving the Sox a 4-0 lead.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
Val Lopez and Nate Lewis hit back-to-back singles for Villa Park (23-6) to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 15 May 2025
The Rockies threatened in the ninth when Ryan McMahon led off with a double and Hunter Goodman followed with a single, but reliever Shawn Armstrong struck out Michael Toglia, Sean Bouchard and Owen Miller — all looking.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for leadoff
Verb
Owen Skinner walked to lead off the game for Legacy and moved to second on a one-out walk to Jayden Lewis.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2025
Taylor led off the seventh with a home run, giving the Sox a 4-0 lead.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
Val Lopez and Nate Lewis hit back-to-back singles for Villa Park (23-6) to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 15 May 2025
The Rockies threatened in the ninth when Ryan McMahon led off with a double and Hunter Goodman followed with a single, but reliever Shawn Armstrong struck out Michael Toglia, Sean Bouchard and Owen Miller — all looking.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for leadoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leadoff
Adjective
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Slaw Dog took home first place Slaw Dog took home first place.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
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Neither was the British version of The Office, which launched in 2001, though that was among the first television series to run with it.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
25 May 2025
Verb
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An uptick in recruiting that began last summer has carried over into 2025 so far.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
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The 3-1 deficit proved too much for the Dodgers to surmount — ending a day that had begun with so much optimism around Ohtani’s two-way talents with a dud of a performance and frustrating series loss in Queens.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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The swimmer, later identified as Sean Barton, a visitor from New Mexico, received initial treatment at the scene before being transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2025
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The Three Components: Decoding The P’s Financial plans can often follow a standard, cookie-cutter approach if advisors do not delve deeply enough during the initial discovery process or in ongoing discussions.—
Monish Verma,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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The finding suggested that commencing metformin after a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was associated with a better chance of living longer, compared to commencing sulfonylurea.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 May 2025
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Soon Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco arrived at his one-day event, and the cone drills and photos commenced.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Zac Brown will also be honored with the inaugural Veterans Voice Award.—
Rachel DeSantis,
People.com,
23 May 2025
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The only transcript that is now available on the White House website is Trump’s inaugural address.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Elsewhere, a Knight is brandished ominously, a match is lit, and someone starts a chess clock.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
28 May 2025
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Our trips allow guests to enjoy the perks of private yacht charters, luxury hotels, bespoke itineraries and high-touch service, all while sharing the cost with like-minded travelers who may start as strangers but quickly feel like longtime friends.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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The Catalans are coming off the back of a domestic treble and also reaching the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time since 2019 in Hansi Flick’s maiden season.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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Goal Oriented debuted April 6 at Santa Anita with an off-the-pace 3 1/4-length victory in a 6-furlong maiden special weight event.—
C.J. Doon,
Baltimore Sun,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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These operators pay artisans and specialized mechanics top dollar to maintain and refurbish the century-old rides, all in an effort to preserve their original design and craftsmanship.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
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Four of the bedrooms are located on the ground floor, where much of the original layout was kept as-is.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leadoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leadoff. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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