More than ever do we need goals or leading ideas that will give purpose to whatever we are doing.
Source: tatoeba (23316)
Leading
/ˈliːdɪŋ/
Synonyms for "leading" (350 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (70)
Noun(26 words)
leadershipadvanceaheadalphaanimal conductattendingbe aheadbest practicesbest project awardbiasedcausechairingchairing a sessionchiefchiefercity festival highlightclassroom discussion leadershipconductconduct of a ceremonyconducting
Show 6 more words
absoluteall-absorbingantecedentanteriorarchascendantat the headauthoritarianauthoritativeauthorityauthorizedautocraticbannerbestbosscapitalcardinalcentralchampionchief
Show 17 more words
Preposition(1 words)
Determiner(1 words)
das erste wort
Strong matches (105)
Adjective(26 words)
dominant authoritydominant factordominant sharedominant signaldominant traitdominant trenddriving factoreminent historianfirst positionfirst rankgoverning authority guidelinesgrandguiding abilitiesguiding ruleheadfirsthighest animal labelin the leadindustrial magnateinspirationalkey argument
Show 6 more words
key influencekey tenetleading sourcemain academic subjectmain armymain subject
Verb(3 words)
duly constitutedeminentempoweredessentialex officioexaltedexordialfeelerfirstfocalforeforegoingforehandforemostforwardfrontfrontalgeneralgovernancegoverning
Show 30 more words
Adverb(1 words)
electromagnetically dominant
Noun(24 words)
Determiner(1 words)
first language learning
Related words (175)
Adjective(30 words)
main subjectsmajor cnidarian groupsmajor fieldmajor organ systemmajor releasemajor sectormajor waterwaypioneering instructional methodpredominant influencepreeminentprimaprimary criterionprimary diagnosis codeprimary diagnostic codeprimary factorprimary goalprimary propositionprimary workerprincipal agentsenior diagnostician
Noun(36 words)
majmajor ethnic groupmanipulativemarqueemodel-organism curriculummost industrializedmost magazine-layoutoutpaceoutrankingoutvotingpilot itempioneer researchpioneeringpolitically influential figureprecedepremier leaguepresidingpresiding officerprimary productivityprincipal
Show 16 more words
principal causeprincipal inner officepriorityproducerevolutionary designruling partiesskipperingspacingspearheadingsuggestivesupervisetoptop resulttop the standingstopvushering
managementmanagerialmanagerymanagingmanipulationmastermatchlessmightymomentousmonocraticnotednotoriousofficialorderingoutstandingoverridingoverrulingparamountpeerlesspilotage
Show 68 more words
popularpotentpowerfulprecedenceprecedentprecedingprecessionalprecursorprecursorypredominantpredominatepreeminentprefatorypreliminarypreludialprelusivepremierpreparatoryprepollentpreponderantpreponderateprepotentprestigiousprevailingprevalentprevenientprimalprimaryprimeprincipalpriorpriorityproemialprominentpropaedeuticpuissantrankingregnantregulatingregulationregulativeregulatoryreigningresponsiblerulingrunningseniorsovereignstarsteeragesteeringstellarsubstantialsuccessfulsupereminentsuperiorsupremethe connthe helmthe wheeltopflighttopmosttotalitarianunsurpasseduppermostvanweightywell-known
Determiner(12 words)
most animalmost area codemost art movementmost chemical energy conversionmost chemical-energymost environmental policymost governingmost heat-transfermost oral historiansmost repeating-patternmost social-approachmost state government elections
Adverb(2 words)
most major partymost rental
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: leadership, absolute, academic community leaders, advance, ahead.
- Sentence evidence is available for leading, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "leading".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "leading"
Keep "leading" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "leading" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "leading", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "leading" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
27 entriescaptaincause a changeclass presidentcoordinate activitiesdirect a projectdouble leadingfront runnerguide a grouphead of departmenthold the leadinterline spacingleading authorleading candidateleading expertleading promptleading question
Showing 16 of 27 words.
Collocations
11 entriesleading causeleading edgeleading expertleading factorleading indicatorleading positionleading questionleading questionsleading roleleading the classleading the way
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
7 entriesSample sentences
19 total sentences available.
The staircase leading to the rooftop is narrow, steep, and dark.
Source: tatoeba (25587)
The future of English seems to be leading in three directions.
Source: tatoeba (26320)
Bob will play the leading role for the first time in the next school festival.
Source: tatoeba (33189)
Showing 4 of 19 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "leading"?
Closest matches include leadership, absolute, academic community leaders, advance, ahead.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "leading"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.