The leading person or thing in a particular area is the one which is most important or successful.
...a leading member of Bristol's Sikh community.
Britain's future as a leading industrial nation depends on investment.
Synonyms: principal, top, major, main More Synonyms of leading
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
The leading role in a play or film is the main role. A leading lady or man is an actor who plays this role.
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
The leading group, vehicle, or person in a race or procession is the one that is at the front.
leading in British English1
(ˈliːdɪŋ)
adjective
1.
guiding, directing, or influencing
2. (prenominal)
principal or primary
3.
in the first position
the leading car in the procession
4. mathematics
(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
leadingly (ˈleadingly)
adverb
leading in British English2
(ˈlɛdɪŋ)
noun
printing
the spacing between lines of photocomposed or digitized type
Also called: interlinear spacing
leading in American English1
(ˈlidɪŋ)
noun
1.
the action of one that leads; guidance; direction; leadership
adjective
2.
that leads; guiding
3.
principal; chief
4.
playing the lead in a play, film, etc.
SIMILAR WORDS: chief
leading in American English2
(ˈlɛdɪŋ)
noun
1.
a covering or being covered with lead
2.
strips or sheets of lead, collectively
More idioms containing
leading
the blind leading the blind
a leading light
Examples of 'leading' in a sentence
leading
LEADING is easy, but making sure that others are marching along behind you is not.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other languages
leading
British English: leading ADJECTIVE
A leading person or thing in a particular area is the most important or successful one.
...a leading member of the city's Sikh community.
American English: leading
Brazilian Portuguese: principal
Chinese: 主要的
European Spanish: destacado
French: de premier plan
German: führend
Italian: di spicco
Japanese: 一流の
Korean: 가장 중요한
European Portuguese: principal
Latin American Spanish: destacado
All related terms of 'leading'
lead
If you lead a group of people, you walk or ride in front of them.
plumbum
a heavy toxic bluish-white metallic element that is highly malleable : occurs principally as galena and used in alloys , accumulators , cable sheaths , paints , and as a radiation shield . Symbol: Pb; atomic no: 82; atomic wt: 207.2; valency : 2 or 4; relative density : 11.35; melting pt: 327.502°C; boiling pt: 1750°C
cheerlead
to lead a crowd in formal cheers at sports events
leading dog
a dog trained to lead a flock of sheep to prevent them breaking or stampeding
leading man
a person who plays the main part in a film, play, etc
leading case
a case that is regarded as having settled a particular point of law; a case that is used as guidance for legal decisions
leading edge
The leading edge of a particular area of research or development is the area of it that seems most advanced or sophisticated .
leading light
If you say that someone is a leading light in an organization, campaign , or community , you mean that they are one of the most important, active , enthusiastic , and successful people in it.
leading note
(esp in cadences ) a note, usually the subtonic of a scale , that tends most naturally to resolve to the note lying one semitone above it
leading rein
a rein used to lead a horse
leading reins
straps or a harness and strap used to assist and control a child who is learning to walk
leading role
an important part
leading tone
the seventh tone of a scale, a half tone below the tonic
voice-leading
the aspect of composition concerned with the writing of parts, esp counterpoint
leading article
A leading article in a newspaper is a piece of writing which gives the editor's opinion on an important news item .
leading counsel
the more senior of two counsels
leading rating
a rank in the Royal Navy comparable but junior to that of a corporal in the army
leading strings
strings or straps formerly used to guide and support a young child learning to walk
leading indicator
A leading indicator is an economic indicator that changes before a change in the economy , and that can be used to predict future economic or financial activity.
leading indicators
data that reflect current economic conditions and can suggest future developments or fluctuations in the nation's economy
leading question
A leading question is expressed in such a way that it suggests what the answer should be.
a leading light
someone who is considered to be one of the most important, active , and successful people in an organization or campaign
leading aircraftman
the rank above aircraftman
leading aircraftmen
the rank above aircraftman
leading aircraftsman
the rank above aircraftman
leading aircraftsmen
the rank above aircraftman
leading aircraftswoman
the rank above aircraftman
leading aircraftswomen
the rank above aircraftman
leading aircraftwomen
the rank above aircraftman
lead on
If someone leads you on , they encourage you to do something, especially by pretending that something is true.
lead off
If a door , room , or path leads off a place or leads off from a place, you can go directly from that place through that door, into that room, or along that path.
lead on to
If one event or action leads on to another, it causes it or makes it possible .
lead up to
The events that led up to a particular event happened one after the other until that event occurred .
the blind leading the blind
said to mean that the person in charge is just as incapable of doing a task as the person who they are meant to be helping or guiding
lac
a resinous substance secreted by certain lac insects , used in the manufacture of shellac
ahead of the pack/leading the pack
You can say that someone is ahead of the pack or leading the pack if they are ahead of everyone else in a race or competition .
subtonic
the seventh degree of a major or minor scale
duce
leader
leader
The leader of a group of people or an organization is the person who is in control of it or in charge of it.
Chinese translation of 'leading'
leading
(ˈliːdɪŋ)
adj
(= most important)[person, thing]主导(導)的 (zhǔdǎo de)
(Theat, Cine)[role, part]主要的 (zhǔyào de)
(= front) 引领(領)的 (yǐnlǐng de)
Seeled
All related terms of 'leading'
lead 1
[ s ] ( in race, competition : front position ) 领(領)先 lǐngxiān
lead off
( in game, conversation, meeting etc ) 开(開)始 kāishǐ ⇒ She led off with a few of her old hit songs. → 她以她的几首流行的旧歌开始了演出。 Tā yǐ tā de jǐ shǒu liúxíng de jiùgē kāishǐle yǎnchū.
lead on
( deceive : person ) 劝(勸)诱(誘) quànyòu ⇒ I bet she led him on. → 我想她一定引诱他了。 Wǒ xiǎng tā yīdìng yǐnyòu tā le.
lead to
( result in ) 导(導)致 dǎozhì
lead away
( prisoner ) 带(帶)走 dàizǒu
lead back
带(帶)回 dàihuí
lead on to
( result in ) 引起 yǐnqǐ
lead up to
( culminate in : situation ) 导(導)致 dǎozhì ⇒ the events that led up to her death → 导致她死亡的事件 dǎozhì tā sǐwáng de shìjiàn
(adjective)
Definition
principal or primary
Britain's future as a leading industrial nation depends on investment.
Synonyms
principal
Their principal concern is that of winning the next election.
top
He was the top student in physics.
major
We heard extracts from three of his major works.
main
My main concern now is to protect the children.
first
The first priority for development is to defeat inflation.
highest
greatest
ruling
a ruling passion for liberty and equality
chief
Financial stress is acknowledged as a chief reason for divorce.
The job went to one of his chief rivals.
prime
Political stability is a prime concern.
key
primary
His primary aim in life is to be happy.
supreme
He proposes to make himself the supreme overlord.
most important
outstanding
an outstanding tennis player
governing
superior
dominant
She was a dominant figure in the film industry.
foremost
He was one of the world's foremost scholars.
pre-eminent
He is the pre-eminent political figure in the country.
unsurpassed
number one
Opposites
minor
,
secondary
,
lesser
, subordinate,
inferior
,
superficial
,
incidental
Additional synonyms
in the sense of chief
Financial stress is acknowledged as a chief reason for divorce.The job went to one of his chief rivals.
Synonyms
primary,
highest,
leading,
main,
prime,
capital,
central,
key,
essential,
premier,
supreme,
most important,
outstanding,
principal,
prevailing,
cardinal,
paramount,
big-time (informal),
foremost,
major league (informal),
predominant,
uppermost,
pre-eminent,
especial
in the sense of dominant
Definition
main or chief
She was a dominant figure in the film industry.
Synonyms
main,
chief,
primary,
outstanding,
principal,
prominent,
influential,
prevailing,
paramount,
prevalent,
predominant,
pre-eminent
in the sense of first
Definition
rated, graded, or ranked above all other levels
The first priority for development is to defeat inflation.
Synonyms
foremost,
highest,
greatest,
leading,
head,
ruling,
chief,
prime,
supreme,
principal,
paramount,
overriding,
pre-eminent
Synonyms of 'leading'
leading
Explore 'leading' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of foremost
Definition
first in time, place, or importance
He was one of the world's foremost scholars.
Synonyms
leading,
best,
first,
top,
highest,
front,
chief,
prime,
primary,
supreme,
initial,
most important,
principal,
paramount,
inaugural,
pre-eminent,
headmost
in the sense of main
Definition
chief or principal
My main concern now is to protect the children.
Synonyms
chief,
leading,
major,
prime,
head,
special,
central,
particular,
necessary,
essential,
premier,
primary,
vital,
critical,
crucial,
supreme,
outstanding,
principal,
cardinal,
paramount,
foremost,
predominant,
pre-eminent,
must-have
in the sense of major
Definition
main or principal
We heard extracts from three of his major works.
Synonyms
main,
higher,
greater,
bigger,
lead,
leading,
head,
larger,
better,
chief,
senior,
supreme,
superior,
elder,
uppermost
in the sense of outstanding
Definition
very good
an outstanding tennis player
Synonyms
excellent,
good,
great (informal),
important,
special,
fine,
noted,
champion,
celebrated,
brilliant,
impressive,
superb,
distinguished,
well-known,
prominent,
superior,
first-class,
exceptional,
notable,
world-class,
exquisite,
admirable,
eminent,
exemplary,
first-rate,
stellar (informal),
superlative,
top-notch (informal),
mean (slang),
sick (slang),
pre-eminent,
meritorious,
estimable,
tiptop,
A1 or A-one (informal),
booshit (Australian, slang),
exo (Australian, slang),
sik (Australian, slang),
rad (informal),
phat (slang),
schmick (Australian, informal),
beaut (informal),
barrie (Scottish, slang),
belting (British, slang),
pearler (Australian, slang)
in the sense of pre-eminent
Definition
outstanding
He is the pre-eminent political figure in the country.