front-runner

noun

front-run·​ner ˈfrənt-ˌrə-nər How to pronounce front-runner (audio)
1
: a contestant who runs best when in the lead
2
: a leading contestant in or as if in a rivalry or competition
a political front-runner

Examples of front-runner 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.
By the end of the festival, the movie wins the Palme and Madison is a front-runner for Best Actress. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 29 Nov. 2024 Vice President-elect JD Vance is the likely GOP front-runner as the party’s next presidential nominee. Amie Parnes, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2024 This set is bound to be a front-runner at the gift exchange. Kelsey Fredricks, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2024 With each passing week (and with all due respect to Ashton Jeanty, Boise State’s record-setting running back), Travis Hunter looks more and more like the clear Heisman front-runner. Nick Baumgardner and More, The Athletic, 23 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for front-runner 

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of front-runner was in 1896

Dictionary Entries Near front-runner

Cite this Entry

“Front-runner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/front-runner. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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