leader

noun

ˈlē-dər How to pronounce leader (audio)
Definition of leadernext
1
as in pioneer
one that takes the lead or sets an example an architectural firm that is widely regarded as a leader in innovative residential design

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boss
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do the team leader is good at making sure that everyone keeps busy at their assigned tasks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in conduit
a long hollow cylinder for carrying a substance (as a liquid or gas) the leader funnels water off of the roof and down into the cistern

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 leader In family businesses, my research team found, the people closest to their leaders – including relatives, employees and longtime supporters – may go quiet rather than press the issue. — Nancy Forster-Holt, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026 The data underscore concerns leaders expressed in September 2025 when declaring the city in fiscal distress. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 Indian authorities briefly detained the leader of the country’s main opposition party in widening anti-establishment demonstrations. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Julien Fortuit is a Business and Career NLP Master Coach & Mentor, specialising in Ultra-Luxury, Arts & Design leaders and sales teams. — Julien Fortuit, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leader
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leader
  1. pioneer
  2. boss
  3. conduit
  4. pacesetter
  5. foreman
  6. pipe
  7. captain
  8. channel
Noun
  • In 1966, healthcare advocacy pioneer Ruth Ravich founded the Department of Patient Representation at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York – widely considered the beginning of the patient advocate role.
    — Jennifer Schlinger, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
  • For the milestone edition, streetwear pioneer Hiroshi Fujiwara and his Fragment Design label served as artistic directors alongside rapper Playboi Carti, shaping the festival’s products, programming and experiences.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of pioneer
Noun
  • Drivers knew the back entrances, the factory layouts, and the best path to the boss of a mom-and-pop workshop.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Serena tells him his former boss Elliott Wyatt recommended him highly, which is strange given his former reticence.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of boss
Noun
  • That included the East-West Pipeline, the main conduit Saudi Arabia has used to circumvent Iranian and American closures of the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Lady Kitty Spencer served as the conduit who accepted the award on behalf of the fashion house.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of conduit
Noun
  • As pacesetter Powershift fell behind down the stretch, Commandment and Golden Tempo burst ahead, running neck-and-neck before Golden Tempo pulled away and crossed the finish line by more than a length.
    — Emily Ohman, New York Times, 6 June 2026
  • Though a genre-fluid affair, the Blue Note fest also features some of the most adventurous pacesetters in modern jazz, among them the flautist Shabaka, the London septet Kokoroko, the trumpeter Chief Adjuah, and the harpist Brandee Younger.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
Definition of pacesetter
Noun
  • Rooms in the back of the second and third floors had mahogany window frames that peered into the main space, allowing a foreman to supervise workers.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The Nepal Electricity Authority named the two men who were rescued alive as 30-year-old Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman from Saptari district in eastern Nepal, and Kabir Maharjan, 45, a mechanical supervisor from Kathmandu.
    — Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of foreman
Noun
  • In other words, intruders overran the building to steal copper pipes.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • On the other hand, if the probability, p, is high that a particular pipe is open, θ(p) takes on a larger value.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of pipe
Noun
  • The village's pedestrian-only strip weaves through small shops, restaurants, and boutiques, and there's a Naval Museum housed in a 19th-century captain’s mansion that highlights the island’s maritime history—and is worth a visit.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Alex Ovechkin said Monday that his 22nd season in the NHL will be his last, beginning the farewell tour for the longtime Washington Capitals captain who holds the league's career goal-scoring record.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of captain
Noun
  • Saudi Arabia does not have formal diplomatic ties with Israel, but the countries have long cooperated on security and intelligence matters through alternative channels.
    — DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Machado did not immediately pursue the plan, the sources said, choosing instead to explore political and diplomatic channels.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of channel

Browse Nearby Words

leaden
leader
leaders
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Cite this Entry

“Leader.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leader. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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