leading lady

noun

: an actress who plays the leading female role

Examples of leading lady 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.
Nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category for her portrayal of the iconic Good Witch, Grande certainly looked the part of a Hollywood leading lady: The star chose a voluminous design from the Schiaparelli spring 2025 couture collection. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2025 Chopra Jonas has firmly established herself as an international leading lady. Yola Robert, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025 With her pageboy haircut and look of bottomless grief, Moore redefined the role of a leading lady for 90’s audiences in this blockbuster supernatural thriller/romance hybrid. Dan Heching, CNN, 26 Feb. 2025 In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the singer-songwriter, 45, names her favorite leading ladies who have stepped into the role of Jenna in the hit Broadway musical Waitress. Raven Brunner, People.com, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leading lady

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leading lady was in 1860

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Cite this Entry

“Leading lady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leading%20lady. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

leading lady

noun
: an actress who plays the leading female role in a play or movie

More from Merriam-Webster on leading lady

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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