in the lead

phrase

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.
Due to shoot next year is The Midnight Library, with Florence Pugh in the lead, and based on Matt Haig’s novel. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 Less than a month later, American Priorities was created in February with the intention of rivaling the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the country’s largest pro-Israel advocacy organization, in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections. — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026 Texas’ statewide elections are in dead heat in the lead up to early voting, according to a new poll from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026 Manheim remains in the Disney family today, as he’s currently set to star opposite Teagan Croft, in the lead role of charming thief Flynn Rider, in the studio’s live-action Tangled, heading to theaters on March 31, 2028. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for in the lead

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In the lead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20lead. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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